[JayG]

As long as you don't have them sitting in cold waterlogged soil for weeks on end, and if you can beat the mice (before they germinate) and the slugs and pigeons (after they appear) then peas are easy! 

I actually find them one of the easier seeds to germinate outdoors and quite easy to grow on, but you do have to take proper precautions against pests, which can result in them disappearing before you even get the chance to see them (yes, of course it's happened to me, but not this year so far, touch wood!)

[hubballi]

Well they are in a cool part of the garden where the soil is still very cold. I never envisaged this drop in temp so late in Spring.

[DD.]

That's all part of being a gardener.

You learn to roll with the punches instead of whining about it all the time.

[hubballi]

It would be reasonable to assume that questions asked on a gardening forum were not "whing".

[DD.]

Well they are in a cool part of the garden where the soil is still very cold. I never envisaged this drop in temp so late in Spring.

This is not a question.

[Pimento]

Nothing wrong with a good old whinge from time to time. This is a discussion democracy.... Isn't it??

[DD.]

Time to time, maybe.

[New shoot]

Nothing wrong with a good old whinge from time to time. This is a discussion democracy.... Isn't it??

Of course and no question is a stupid one on here.  Lots of lovely friendly folk ready to advise on anything you need but ............... it is a forum to encourage veg growing and share the enjoyment of doing so.  We all share our disasters and have a good laugh, cry or whatever about them, but we also all share our successes, however small. 

I think DD was referring to the fact that maybe more of a balance of both types of post from the OP would be nice 

[hubballi]

Well they are in a cool part of the garden where the soil is still very cold. I never envisaged this drop in temp so late in Spring.

This is not a question.

No, it's an answer.

[dugless]

At the risk of repeating myself.

Late March/Early April

Trench

Peas

Cover

Go away

Result:




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

That's if the mice don't get them they ate mine even when soaked in parrafin

[Beetroot queen]

DD I never get bored of seeing that pic it's amazing. Can I ask do you get enough peas to see you through the year.

I wish I had space for that many. I love peas. And luckily I can grow them, unlike runner beans this year

[Lincolnshire Floyd]

No disrespect to dugless but the theory that mice eat peas is a myth. I was told this by a professional adviser to pea growers that had been all over the world advising on pea growing.

With respect to hubballi.....keep moaning. Sometimes you can learn more from somebody having problems mostly by not repeating their mistakes. So keep the blog coming.

For me I always have gaps in my pea beds and then kick myself for not sowing a few extra spares somewhere else that I could transplant into the gaps. One day I'll learn to be less optimistic in the initial sowing.

I know this is a pea discussion but I have more problem germinating sweet corn which I need to get away early in order to take advantage of the  growing season. Usually my germination percentage is about 50% sown in a heated propagator and then carefully transplanted into pots when just showing. When this cold snap has passed they will go out from the cold frames into the prepared trenches where any water can stay where I want it and not run off.

Broad beans are struggling through but it was old seed so could be just me being  tight fisted and being optimistic again.

[shoozie]

there's plenty time to try again hubballi - my peas haven't touched the soil yet, though I did try the left overs of an old packet in pots thinking I'd get an early start ..... Nope that didn't work out and only got a few random sprouts.  Hopefully once this rain clears I'll get sowing for real and take what comes.

Spookily though,  the Kent blue I got from DD's seed swap have pretty much all come up.  Mind you they were (are) treated like royalty - or, is it the 'hand of the pea god'    . 

Best of luck

[shoozie]

No disrespect to dugless but the theory that mice eat peas is a myth. I was told this by a professional adviser to pea growers that had been all over the world advising on pea growing.

Welcome to the forum Lincolnshire Floyd - it would be good if you could pop into the Welcome section to say hello 
I've had young peas dug up by mice, eaten and they've left the green sprouts lying on the bed.  What did your adviser say to pea growers ?

[mumofstig]

I have had peas and sweet peas eaten by mice so that advisor doesn't know everything, obviously