[New Kid On The Plot]

I have bought some hurst peas to plant in my allotment.  Please can anyone advise me whether or not I have to use pea sticks, and if so, c
an I use the "sticks" that I have pruned from my raspberries?  Many thanks.

[fatcat1955]

I never use sticks for any of my peas, the cheap pea & bean netting supported on bamboo canes does the job for me.

[Yorkie]

I've never managed to find the proper pea sticks so have relied on canes and string (search for DD's picture of peas).  I think you'll find the old raspberry canes aren't substantial enough - I've tried them for things in the past and they just rot off and snap.

[andy135]

I used pea sticks last year and spent more time lifting my peas off the ground than I can be bothered with. I'm growing Hurst greenshaft this year but intend using plastic netting. It's cheap enough to throw away at the end of the season, and I'm too lazy to be bothered untangling it.  

[Salmo]

Hurst green shaft can grow quite tall i.e. about 70cm so you will need some support.

[DD.]

Time for the piccies, apologies to our customers who've already seen them.

My way of supporting peas:






The polypropylene twine I use is currently on offer here: £8.89 for 450 metres - loadsa uses and works a treat.

DD's Pea Twine

I use cheap rough cut, treated wood from a DIY shop as supports.

With care the supports and twine will last quite a few seasons, nothing gets thrown away.

[Tigerhair]

I have to say that throwing the support away at the end of the season... well... how wasteful!    However, your choice!  I have always grown my pea/mange toute etc on long twigs cut from my garden as I have a lot of trees... at the end of the season they go on the twig pile for the insects.  However, now I am looking forward to setting up my allotment plot, I may use DD's idea - looks fantastic!!! 

[starry]

Hi DD thats a lovely row of peas!!  how far apart are the sticks (width) and do have to plant the rows that far apart ??

[DD.]

There's 4 spaced out across a 32' plot, so allowing for not quite going to the edges, just over 10 ft.

The recommended row spacing for peas is the height to which the plant will grow, in this case 2' 6", but you'd no doubt get away with slightly less.

[kezlou]

I tend to just use canes and garden twine for my peas  .

Last year the peas took a life of they own and the washing line was not holding up tomatoes, clothes but also pea's. Strange site to behold but its works a treat.

I just reuse the same stuff year after year.

ah what a site all those peas!

[Lulu]

Last year I planted Kevelon Wonder (I may have spelt that wrong  :blink:) and put in some very attractive twigs for pea sticks.  Complete waste of time - I had to reprop up the peas several times after the wind, the other method of using canes and pea net wasn't much help either.  This year I'm going to do a'DD' which looks much more substantial especially for Kevelon Wonder ( which seems a tall pea).  So my answer is  would be - no don't use pea sticks and I don't think raspberry canes would be any where near substantial enough. 

happy pea planting whatever you decide 

[DD.]

It's "Kelvedon Wonder" and in fact it is those in my piccies.

[plopleuk]

I'm quite new to growing and this year will be my first time growing peas and beans.
Are they a tasty variety?
I will be using your way of growing as they look easy to pick.

[DD.]

I wouldn't have grown them for several sucessive years if they weren't! 

I hope this year, however to grow mostly heritage varieties that I've been seed-saving.

[strangerachael]

What can people recommend for keeping pigeons off peas? Last year I put netting over the top to keep the pigeons off,, but the peas got so entwined in the  netting it was impossible to get it off to pick them