[little sweetpeas]

How long can I keep pea seed for? I saved my own seed from last year but saved too many for my own use.

I've got about 1000 too many seeds thinking I could swap them or maybe store them for next year.

[DD.]

They'll last a few years, stored properly.

There's a guide to seed life here:

http://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetable/general/seed-storage-life.php

[little sweetpeas]

Many thanks, and if I could tap you for some more info

Over the years I've taken your advice and now have my own pea seed (KW) could I get away with sewing this in my PT now or should I be sewing say Feltham First. I've never grown suger snap or mange-tout and wonder if I should try these. I want an early type as I always plants other veg to follow peas as I have to avoid the pea moth which is a real problem on our site.

thanks to you this year I'm growing 92ft of KW outside just need to try to fit in early & late harvest from polytunnel

[DD.]

I have to be honest here and say that apart from a few heritage pea seed that I needed a good germination rate from, I've never started peas inside, and certainly not at this time of year. I'm a "sling them straight in the ground" person. KW are a first early, so I would have thought they'd be OK to start off.

As for mange tout, I generally grow a few of the bog standard Oregan Sugar Snap, sown at intervals, starting quite early. But they're just a token effort, I prefer the real thing!

[little sweetpeas]

I have to be honest here and say that apart from a few heritage pea seed that I needed a good germination rate from, I've never started peas inside, and certainly not at this time of year. I'm a "sling them straight in the ground" person. KW are a first early, so I would have thought they'd be OK to start off.

As for mange tout, I generally grow a few of the bog standard Oregan Sugar Snap, sown at intervals, starting quite early. But they're just a token effort, I prefer the real thing!

Last year I did sew straight outside and thank goodness as it seemed a massive job just sewing them direct can't imagine starting 800 plants in roottrainers and then planting out. What I actually meant was growing a crop to harvest in the tunnel  but actually since posting the question I'm thinking it won't really give me that mauch of an earlier crop.

I think I might swap for some oregon suger snap though.