Peas, lack of enthusiasm

rictic · « **on:** August 12, 2013, 11:27 »

Hello all.

Have had our allotment for 5 years now and in all that time have had only one good crop of peas, they seem to start off really well then just stop without hardly flowering or as in this year produce a very meagre crop. Have tried various seed types, this year went with Deuce Provence, always net them, plant in composted ground and have even resorted to spraying. Any ideas.

Many thanks.

Rictic.

Goosegirl · « **Reply #1 on:** August 12, 2013, 12:31 »

What is your location rictic? Only one thought - too much nitrogen? Peas are a flowering crop and maybe need more potassium (like roses do). Too much nitrogen would make the growth favour leaf production rather than flowers, and the more sappy growth could make them prone to diseases. See what others on here think.

mumofstig · « **Reply #2 on:** August 12, 2013, 14:23 »

When do you sow them?
They are a cool season, rather than a summer crop, so best sown as soon as your soil begins to warm up - which is about the 3rd week of March in this part of the UK

Hot temperatures and little rain will will not suit them at all. I watered mine quite a lot this year and they still finished early

Trillium · « **Reply #3 on:** August 12, 2013, 15:26 »

Ask me about heat and peas

The UK did get a fair bit of heat this year and that knocked all peas back so you wouldn't be alone, rictic. And despite the info on the seller's website, peas do have to be set out very early (I do mine in early April) so they can grow in cool weather. You might find it helpful to start yours indoors in lengths of roof guttering which you then slide out onto the prepared plot. I find peas do prefer well cultivated soil, easy on the manure.

madcat · « **Reply #4 on:** August 12, 2013, 16:08 »

Pea weevil has certainly damped my enthusiasm this year.

I just hope the little wigglies also damped the enthusiasm of whoever it was during last week who helped themselves to a picking.

Hadn't picked for a week, and all there was were old ones that had been missed and very young pods. Humph! Hope they got lots of weevils!!

rictic · « **Reply #5 on:** August 12, 2013, 16:25 »

My location is Notts. May try planting in gutters in the greenhouse next year and also dispense with any manure.

Many thanks for your comments.

Keep the faith.

Rictic.

DD. · « **Reply #6 on:** August 12, 2013, 16:48 »

Dispense with:

Manure.

Gutters.

Late sowing.

............. and keep the faith!

Salmo · « **Reply #7 on:** August 12, 2013, 18:50 »

What you need is plenty of plants. Read the information on the packet and it will tell you it will sow, say, 24 ft of row. That is about right, roughly an inch apart, or 3inches if spread over a 6inch band. No good sowing thinly and having half the packet left for next year.

I had excellent results this year usung root trainers. Four seeds to a cell. When about 3 inches high pull out a trench with a hoe and place the cell contents 3 inches apart along the trench, then fill in and water. A 20 cell root trainer does 10 ft of row and takes up very little space compared to spouting and the root systems are excellent.

maxie · « **Reply #8 on:** August 12, 2013, 19:31 »

The young plants arent getting the leaf nibbled by something are they?I used to get some mega pea crops sewing straight in the soil,then i got a build up of whichever insect that nibbles them,they seem to weaken the plant and sometimes kill them,the plants that grew through the attack were never the same,even when i grew in guttering and planted out 6 inch plants
This year ive got them under control and back to mega crops again,they go for bean plants as well.
This is the beastie,i had to clean them up by putting chickens on overwinter as they were in plague proportions on my plot.
http://aeronvale-allotments.org.uk/downloads/FACT-%20FILE_Pea%26Bean_Weevil_01.pdf

rictic · « **Reply #9 on:** August 12, 2013, 19:54 »

Thanks for your replies, looks like the weevil could be the problem, although I regularly hoe around all my produce the next door allotment is shoulder height in weeds, could they be breeding in there?

Together we can crack it!

Keep on the good foot.

Rictic.

shokkyy · « **Reply #10 on:** August 12, 2013, 20:40 »

This year I had horrible problems with germination of my peas. I think the long spell of cold and wet weather was making them rot in the soil. I started off sowing the first week in April, but ended up with a very late resowing in the first week of June. I've had the best crop of peas I've ever had, still cropping now. It's the first time I've tried Kelvedon Wonder, so maybe it's the variety that gave a better crop, don't know, but given how late I sowed I'm pleasantly surprised to have such a good crop. In previous years I've done everything right and had dreadful crops, but that was different varieties. Quite impressed with KW, getting up to 10 peas per pod.

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Peas, lack of enthusiasm

rictic

Peas, lack of enthusiasm

Goosegirl

Re: Peas, lack of enthusiasm

mumofstig

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Trillium

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madcat

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rictic

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DD.

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Salmo

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maxie

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rictic

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shokkyy

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