[georget]

Hi All for the 1st time im going to set my peas away in the cold greenhouse.Ive been saving loo rolls to start them in.Going to do it this weekend and i wondered if i should use the roll as it is or should i cut them in half as a full roll might be too deep. Im sure somebody has done this before,any comments or suggestions from anyone.Thanks George

[DD.]

Why faff about with loo rolls?

Using the recommended pea spacing you need 12 plants per foot in a triple row, even for a short 10' row that adds up to a lot of loo rolls!

Mine just go straight into the ground, but if you must start them first, deep trays are adequate. Peas don't mind a bit of root disturbance. A lot of people use a length of guttering to start them of in, then just slide the whole lot out.

[azubah]

I sowed packets of peas for a couple of years and got just 2 or 3 plants come up. The mice ate the rest. The only way I have found to grow peas successfully is in pots, and plant out the potfuls in a line. (potful doesn't seem to be a recognised word!) ie I don't split up the pot of pea plants into single peas. I still have to protect them from pigeons at all times. They love to eat the flowers. You must have a largely pest-free  plot, DD.

[DD.]

You must have a largely pest-free  plot, DD.

You must be joking!

At the risk of posting it yet again!

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=50902.0

[smellykipper]

You must have a largely pest-free  plot, DD.

You must be joking!

At the risk of posting it yet again!

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=50902.0

ive seen that post somewhere before 

[barley]

you won't get many peas in a loo roll - try making newspaper pots then you can plant the whole thing in the ground

[Salmo]

I sow peas in root trainers and loo rolls should work as well. I would not cut the rolls down.

I sow 4/5 seeds per module and plant out the modules about 4 inches apart. I draw out a shallow trench, place the contents of each module,  as they are,  along one side of the trench, push the soil back and firm down with my foot. 32 root trainer modules sows a ten foot row. i.e about 130 seeds - just the same as DD population.

I suppose the setting out takes about the same time as sowing direct in the ground but you have the extra work of sowing in the root trainers.

On the plus side you do not have the worry about mice, rotting seeds, pigeons or weeds until the day you plant out.

I have tried guttering. Root trainers are far better with superb root systems.

[tangojulie]

Thought I'd pass on a 'duh - why didn't I think of that' idea that I saw recently - if growing peas in guttering. put an empty pot on its side in the end and secure with an elastic band. Stops the compost coming out of the ends.

You lot have probably been doing that for ever, but it was news to me!

[boddy]

have done mine in loo rolls and some newpaper pots. They are all in the ground now since about 3 inches high. Under a cloche incase of frost and to keep the pigeons away. This is my first year on the allotment and they are looking good. Didn't cut the loo rolls down.

[mumofstig]

Last year because of the cold spring I sowed mine in  blue mushroom boxes lined with compost-bag plastic and divided into 3 lengthwise with the same plastic.
Each box made a 4 ft run and slid out of the plastic nicely 

We all use whatever is handy and does the job 

[JayG]

4 or 5 years ago only two out of a 10' row of saved sugarsnap pea seeds seemed to come up, so I got into the habit of pre-germinating them - soak for half a day in cold water, then put them between damp kitchen paper in a suitable covered box. Roots should start to appear after a couple of days, when you should sow them as normal ASAP.

It's not essential of course, and probably not something that those growing on an industrial scale would want to be bothered with, but it does ensure the seeds are viable and won't be sitting in possibly cold soil doing nothing for longer than necessary.

(My apparent no-shows were probably due to insufficient protection from pigeons or slugs - the seeds were perfectly OK as it turned out.)

[georget]

Thats why im trying the loo rolls.Last year was my first year on this allotment and either mice or pigeons got my first peas sown directly into the drill, :mad:so i started some in pots in the greenhouse but the season was getting on by then so I thought i would get a head start this year.But asDD says it will take a lot of rolls but i thought it was better than using pots at least i can plant them staight into the garden when ready.Ive never had any trouble in my previous plot with direct sowing but always pre soak them.Nice to be making a start to the year lets hope its as good as last year.

[Goosegirl]

I have tried the gutter method and, as long as you seal the ends (as said before) and keep it watered because it is shallow and soon dries out, it worked fine for me. I slid the peas out sidewards rather than along its length because I found it compressed the soil length. Now I just sprinkle the seeds in a shallow trench and cover with soil then some netting and didn't bother too much about the individual spacing of seeds as not all may germinate.

[Lesleyk]

I have a real problem with mice, too, and now have to start off everything (peas, sweet peas, broad beans, French beans) in pots or some other form of container first.  Would love to plant directly but can't afford that much seed!  Have been using half loo rolls for sweet peas and for peas, although I also find peas do OK in the seed trays that are divided into six (or more, if deep enough).  Still way too early to plant them out here - I do envy those of you who have started outdoors or transplanted outdoors already!  So, at the moment,  I have loads of peas and beans germinating in the greenhouse, all covered in plastic or something else to protect them from, you guessed it, the mice!