[hubballi]

Well, my first sowing of peas in a module tray and 2 weeks on nothing except soft, rotting peas. When I sowed them I was careful to add just a little water to moisten them. As it was too cold in the greenhouse I even bought them into the house in the windowsill and still they failed.

How are you supposed to get them to germinate if the initial watering rots them ? 

[DD.]

House is too warm.

Full stop.

[hubballi]

Its on the windowsill north facing. How can it be too warm ? Peas have germinated outdoors/in greenhouse in the past with much warmer conditions.

[DD.]

The soil is cooler!

In a house it will eventually warm up to the ambient tempertature, outside and in a greenhouse it has chance to cool down overnight.

[hubballi]

Ok, I take your point. The reason I took them inside was because after sowing in the greenhouse we had a very cold snap. I didn't want them sitting in very cold water resulting in rotting.

[sion01]

I always soak my peas and beans for 24 hours before sowing

[mumofstig]

funny that - cos I stopped doing that as too many seemed to rot  :blink:

[DD.]

You know my take.

Dig  trench, sling them in!

[hubballi]

So, if you sow them with no water they won't grow.soak them they rot. Water them indoors or greenhouse they rot. 

[GrannieAnnie]

I'm not as experienced as DD the Pea God! 

But I don't start my peas off until end of March.  I do start them in pots, in cool greenhouse.  First in my little bubble wrapped one, then in the bigger one.  I put them out when the soil is drier and warmer.

Same with my beans, end of March for them too

[DD.]

At the risk of repeating myself.

Late March/Early April

Trench

Peas

Cover

Go away

Result:




No greenhouse, window sill, pots, guttering etc. involved!

[hubballi]

If only I had your space 

[DD.]

There's no reason why you can't follow that in a smaller space, they'd be easier to protect from vermin as well.

Maybe you're trying too hard! 

[hubballi]

I have had success the last few years I have grown peas. Just this time. 2011 was really good .

[GrannieAnnie]

Did you sow them this early in 2011 Hubballi?  What about last year?