Allotments 4 All

Following on from other threads, I've had my peas soacking till they've sprouted (hurrah!) and am now thinking about how to sow/make their bed.  The books say that peas like a rich soil and a well-gardened lady next to my old lottie had bumper crops from her heavily mulched peas, so the plan on Friday is this:

Dig out a decent trench and back fill with newspaper strips, compost, manure and earth mix.  Leave it a bit to settle and improved weather  before planting out the peas.

The plot has not been used for a year & is quite stony, but by all accounts the previous chap used to keep it in good nick.

Any thoughts? Too much effort? Not enough effort? Barking up the wrong pea stick?

This is my first year growing peas - so I'm no expert - but........

I have read that givng peas manure will make them produce lots of leaf but not many pods.  I added bagged compost to the soil and applied some FBB.  They have been in for a few weeks and seem OK.

Would also welcome advice from more experienced pea growers!

I put as much vegetable matter and paper on as possible but do not use any feed.  One of my favourites is leaf mould as it does not contain many nutrients (nitrogen is  put there by the peas and beans themselves).  May put a tea bag or two in each hole this year as it is working wonders on my tomatoes, or a banana skin.

A little note for newbies with regards to peas & beans.   At the end of the season when you come to pull them out - don't.  Just cut off the stems and leave the roots behind so the nitrogen nodules remain in the soil.

Have you thought what you're going to support them with Bennetsleg? I'm hoping to make a bed for mine and get them in this weekend (d**n weather permitting) but haven't got much of a clue what to let them scramble up.

Any thoughts are welcome.

Jon

Quote from: cliff_the_gardener on April 11, 2006, 11:17:14
A little note for newbies with regards to peas & beans.   At the end of the season when you come to pull them out - don't.  Just cut off the stems and leave the roots behind so the nitrogen nodules remain in the soil.

I just stuck a black sheet over my beans once the rig had been dismantled and the whole lot is rotting away into the ground ready for my brassicas which will be planted through cardboard using a bulb planter if I get my hands on one.

Quote from: jonny211 on April 11, 2006, 11:36:05
Have you thought what you're going to support them with Bennetsleg?

On one half I was going to bang a few sticks into the ground at strategic points and put some discarded chicken wire between the posts, on the 2nd half was going to use pea sticks made from buddleia trimmings (& if they take off, good, I'll just move them to form a hedgerow for the butterflies etc) and string.

Thing is, when planting, do the posts go *between* the rows of peas or to the side? Like this:

Peas
Post
Peas

or:

Post
Peas
Peas

meaning one can double up on the bed by planting:

Peas
Peas
Post
Peas
Peas

...? ???

Brilliant illustration of peas and posts!
You pays your money and takes your choice - more ideas at http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,57/topic,2482.0

Was about to post to that thread but realised it was approaching its second birthday!
Re-support, think it was on GQT that someone said the blackcurrant twigs they used as supports resprouted and grew!

i thought the idea of digging the trench was to fill with veg matter and alike newspaper etc to 1) help them feed a bit better but the main reason for helping keep the gorund very moist

carl

Now I am getting confused about the support, when using the ubiquitous 'twiggy sticks' what level of twiggyness should you be aiming for? One branch spreading to three then three smaller twigs again, how thick etc etc....

I guess one mans twiggy stick is anothers twigless branch. Does anyone know of any good pictures I should aim for, I'm reluctant to use plastic netting or anything non-degradable.

Jon

The perfect pea support? IMHO twigs from coppiced hazel. The main stem is for bean supports (and Morris dancing sticks) and the twiggy offcuts are for peas! I got my hazel poles from Saffron Walden, and begged for pea sticks too. The woodsman said he could never get enough for Audley End House - they use them for their flower borders too so all are spoken for :'(. Am using elder prunings instead this year.
Nice illustrations at
http://handbooks.btcv.org.uk/handbooks/content/section/3760
As tall as your peas will be!