[sonnycbr]

I'm sure I saw a photo a while ago (posted by DD?) of the way he grows his peas, I think with nets on both sides of the rows. Could you point me in the right direction for these pics as I fancy trying it myself this year.

[DD.]

I sow first and net, but only about 6" off the ground. I use debris netting at this stage, well weighted down to keep the mice off.

I don't faff about with chitting them, transplanting them or starting off in guttering etc. (the quantity would make that impossible), they are just thrown into a shallow trench and left to get on with it. Remember - for each foot in a row of peas, you need at least 15 peas. I grow 36' rows - at least 4 of them and that equates to 2160 plants - I'm not faffing with that quantity!

Only when the peas are a few inches high do the supports and twine appear, the debris netting then moves on to be used elsewhere for brassicas and the like and it's replaced with any old netting sufficient to keep the pigeons off.

First stage:

Photo 1

Then increase the levels of the twine until you get:

Photo 2

and then:

Photo 3

and

Photo 4

[Y.E.A.H]

do they have anything to climb up or is it just that string ?

[DD.]

It's polypropylene twine, actually, salvaged off newpaper bundles when Mrs Digger worked at a newsagents, but a lot of the blokes on our site use the thin green twine with good effect.

Peas are generally not good climbers, they need support.

[Lenny59]

Superb DD.....Can you explain a bit more about what you did preparing the soil and also spacings etc  etc...

[DD.]

Preparation?

Made a trench with a draw hoe, threw the seed in, covered, netted & went home. Honestly!

Pea spacing within the row in theory is as per the photo, but I throw a few more in for good measure.

Spacings between the rows should be as high as the plant grows, but you could get away with a little less.

[greenhead]

D.D. You appear to be the King of peas-  I am a novice when it comes to peas, I sow them (early onward) Feb or early March but never get much germination usually 1 or 2 in a row.  My soil is heavy clay,  Do peas require plenty of compost or am I too early.  Any tips.  Thanks.

[DD.]

It may be that your soil is a bit on the heavy side, peas prefer a lighter soil with plenty of humus, but not fertiliser.

You could try forking in a bit of multi-purpose compost to lighten the soil a bit. Personally, I'd also hold back with the sowing until it gets a bit warmer.

[greenhead]

Thanks DD.  Just one more question - How deep would you sow the seeds.  The packet usually says 2-3".  Thanks

[bigben]

Very impressive DD - do you have a massive allotment or do you just use a lot of it to grow peas because that looks like a lot of peas!

[Rangerkris]

you need lots of pea plants to get any great amount we had only a few and got only a few peas. 

[DD.]

I've got 2 1/2 plots amounting to 800 sq yds.

in 2008 there were 4 x 32' rows of KW peas plus a 20' row of Jaguar, (which I wasn't over inpressed with), plus 3 isolated spots for heritage peas, grown purely for seed.

Total, I guess over 150' of peas.

Last year 6 x 24' rows - about the same.

Oh - then there's the mangetout.

I do admit that they take up a lot of space for the return, coupled with the fact only about half the produce makes it home!

[lisa80]

can you help d.d i bought some onward peas from original touch but the instructions are very  confusing    when can i put them in and do they need support? many thanks

[DD.]

I'd treat Onward exactly the same as I've done with Kelvedon Wonder.

Sow late March/Early April, net to protect and support in some way of your chosing. (You've seen my way, but there are plenty of others).

Seed & row spacing as previous posts.

[DD.]

DD do you bother with Feltham first or any overwintering Pea??

Kelvedon best over the summer then

No and yes.

(Sorry missed this before).