Allotments 4 All

can anyone recommend varieties of tall pea plants? Mine (hurst green shaft and meteor) were all a couple of feet high. I need tall so the children eat the low crops and I harvest the high...!

Also, any resistant to pea moth, we lost loads as each pod had a caterpillar of sorts inside... :'(

I've got some saved seed from the tall ones, I call them Lester's peas as that's the name of chap on the allotment that gave me some in the beginning.

They're not totally resistant to the pea moth but I only had about 10 pods out of this year's harvest with a caterpillar inside.  ;D

PM me if you would like some. They can be sown direct in November to overwinter but I started mine in the greenhouse in early spring.

Linda

Alderman grow to 5 feet.  I intend to try them next year.  Perhaps someone will come along and comment if they have tried them.

Was just about to recommend Alderman, this year they grew to about 7', and thinking about it they have been taller that 5' every time I have grown them. They need good support each time I think I've cracked it there is a strong wind/gale and they topple over somewhat. Also have some Telephone peas which I believe are very similar to Alderman, but I like Alderman so much I haven't got round to trying them yet. Maybe next year.

great suggestions thanks, any more on the pea moth resistant varieties??!  :-*

Forgot about the pea moth. I've had a little in the Alderman, but only in a few pods and not very badly. Certainly not enough to seriously affect the amount of crop, which was plentiful. Sowed them reasonably early - ?April (not very good at keeping notes) did I read on here somewhere that sowing early can make a difference?

Alderman are anapparently similar to Telephone, which I've never tried. I've read that it's an improved version, but haven't been able to verify it. Magnum Bonum, which you can get from Brown Envelope Seeds (http://brownenvelopeseeds.com/index.php/) is also ace. Ne Plus Ultra (Robinson's do it) is another good one, but I don't feel it's quite as good as those two. You can get about 300 Alderman from King's seeds for £1.50, and you can't beat that!

I'm trying telephone for the first time this year (Real Seeds). They've reached the top of the 7' frame and are still going. Not quite ready yet but they're producing the heaviest crop of anything I've ever had.

Geoff.

Another vote for alderman for maincrop. I also grow pilot for earlies. It must be pointed out though that tall peas do not normally produce any pods below 2-3 ft so it may be better to stick with diddy peas for the diddy peeps and grow the proper job for adults only.

I did not know Alderman did not have peas low down.  Thanks for the info.
Now we need some tips on support. I am sure there are some good ideas out there.

We use cheap "pea and Bean Netting" from Wilco's on a frame of canes... this year we had to extend with a frame of 2"x2"x8' as they got too tall....  :)

Can you post any pictures please?   How far apart are the posts? 

They are still in the camera...  :-[
just two posts at the end of the rows and about two foot apart...   :)

Some of the heritage varieties grow tall. Prince of Prussia is one I like - peas still have sweetness when "mature"

 I'll look out for it :)

I use wigwams with string wound round to give the tendrils something to grip.