[Kirpi]

When it says sow early peas and broad beans in February, does it mean direct insitu or in pots to be planted in later when warmer? I could try both I guess.

[DD.]

I wait until the end of March or early April, when it's warmed up a bit and just sling them in.

Can't do with faffing about transplanting and I grow too many to do that anyway.

The only ones that get special pot treatment are the heritage ones that I've only got a few seed of. They will also wait until it's warmer to ensure better germination.

[mumofstig]

Further south than DD, here, and I put poly sheeting over my pea rows to warm the soil and sow mid March. I leave the poly on til the peas are a couple of inches tall to stop the birds eating seeds and seedlings.

I'm just going to sow a few peas in tubs which will stay in the greenhouse to hopefully get an early crop.

[surbie100]

Whereabouts are you Kirpi?

I'm about level with MoS, location-wise. I don't put in anywhere near as many as DD so my broad beans were pot-sown in January and transplanted out after a week on the balcony in late Jan (after the birds realised they were there and tasty!)

The transplants are thriving down at the plot at the moment. (Aquadulce)

Not starting peas till March (next week  )

[noshed]

I put a couple of rows of Aquadulce in on Sunday, just to keep my hand in

[Jamrock]

I sowed broad beans and peas about 3 weeks ago direct into a mini hot-bed that I put together. More of an experiment than anything else.

Peas started poking through about 10 days ago and broad beans Sunday/Monday just gone. Yesterday I removed the glass and put sticks in for the peas. The rows are a little patchy where some have been eaten pre-germination but I will have some sort of early crop

I've even cheated a little and put down some organic slug pellets, first time I've used them so not sure about their proficiency

I haven't grown a lot of peas before, only some mange tout which i got free with a magazine. Broad beans I usually sow direct anytime from now till the end of March

[devonbarmygardener]

Mine are all in the ground - planted last week.

Fleece tunnel over them in case of a cold snap - like today!

[New shoot]

I've got some more broad beans to get going, but I'll be starting them off it pots, rather than direct in the ground.  My plot soil is heavy so I find more rot than grow on an early direct sowing. 

Don't know why but I like early broad beans, then want to move onto other stuff, so don't ever do a later sowing.  However, as DD says, there is actually still loads of time to wait for thing to warm up to sow them, if pots seem too much bother 

[DD.]

I must make it clear that I don't do broad beans - yes - me and Mrs Digger don't like them! However, as you don't need as many for a crop, they are more suited to starting in pots than peas are.

[Kirpi]

Whereabouts are you Kirpi?

I'm about level with MoS, location-wise. I don't put in anywhere near as many as DD so my broad beans were pot-sown in January and transplanted out after a week on the balcony in late Jan (after the birds realised they were there and tasty!)

The transplants are thriving down at the plot at the moment. (Aquadulce)

Not starting peas till March (next week  )

A little further South than you - Camborne, Cornwall. The weeds and rhubarb are starting to show so it's usually then that folks down here start to feel the sap rising.

[sunshineband]

I multi sow large modules with peas and pots for broad beans. Helps me not feed the voles at our plot 

They'll be going in at the weekend, and will get planted out at the end of March, with fleece if it is freezing cold as we will be away for a couple of weeks from then, and I don't wan't someone to have to water them while we are away 

[Totty]

Never sow peas in pots, life is to short. Always sow broad beans in pots, easier to avoid rotting.

Totty

[devonbarmygardener]

Whereabouts are you Kirpi?

I'm about level with MoS, location-wise. I don't put in anywhere near as many as DD so my broad beans were pot-sown in January and transplanted out after a week on the balcony in late Jan (after the birds realised they were there and tasty!)

The transplants are thriving down at the plot at the moment. (Aquadulce)

Not starting peas till March (next week  )

A little further South than you - Camborne, Cornwall. The weeds and rhubarb are starting to show so it's usually then that folks down here start to feel the sap rising.

Oh yes!

[Madame Cholet]

I'm starting some early juno peas in loo rolls hopefully to fill in the gap before the summer veg. The wizzard beans were sown in Oct and look strong and healthy.

I was put off summer peas,  as a child ours always had pea maggots in which I had to pick out on the plate yuk.

[bravemurphy]

I'm starting some early juno peas in loo rolls hopefully to fill in the gap before the summer veg. The wizzard beans were sown in Oct and look strong and healthy.

I was put off summer peas,  as a child ours always had pea maggots in which I had to pick out on the plate yuk.

Havent eaten one since up the lotty the other year and eating them straight from the plant after about 20 seeing a maggot  havent grown them since.

got my broad beans in a partially heated greenhouse just starting to come hope they ok the frost touched them yesterday morning