[Kate and her Ducks]

Looking to plant my peas. I have a load of ambassador pea seeds which I grew last summer for an autumn harvest and they were lovely. The packet says plant July for oct. How much does this matter? They were much nicer than the early ones I grew and was wondering if I could put them in now.

[peapod]

Hi Kate

I hadnt heard of these so I had a google and though these are late maincrop peas they can be planted March, Im assuming it reccommends July because they are resistant to powdery mildew which is a problem in later months

[Lardman]

I wasn't too keen on the earlies I planted last year either (twinkle, meteor)  but the main crop suffered very badly from pea month.

Did your ambassador avoid them last year Kate?

[Paul Plots]

I must check back here again.....

Tried growing peas once and not a lot of success but fancy having another go and have two in-date packets...

Could I start them off in pots and transplant to make sure they actually germinate this time?

[peapod]

You sure can Learner...try Richys pots..they work well as you can plonk them straight in without disturbing the roots

[Paul Plots]

You sure can Learner...try Richys pots..they work well as you can plonk them straight in without disturbing the roots

Thanks for advice..somewhere I have one of those tools for making paper-pots. I think I bought it for my dad years ago - recently he gave it to me unused.

Always pays to buy things you like - hoping others will appreciate them.

[digalotty]

my first year growing peas, go them in ritchies paper pots

[Kate and her Ducks]

Thanks for the replies.

Will give them a go now then as I really liked them.
Don't know what pea moth is so assuming I didn't have any problems with it. Certainly didn't have anything nibbling on them (other than the cat who likes peas but that is another story). They got a bit of powdery mildrew towards the very end of the season but were pretty trouble free.

[Salmo]

Pea moth gives us the delightful maggots in the pods. They lay their eggs on the flower buds. Cover with enviromesh when you see the first flower buds forming.

[Kate and her Ducks]

Nope! Didn't have any of them.

Bother, another thing to worry about!

[Lardman]

Nope! Didn't have any of them.

Or you just didnt notice the lovely white worm wiggling about in the pod..    

I can't remember what DD said he sprayed but I'll using chemicals this year as they're just not nice !!!

[tam]

Are pea moths active all season? Noticed the first bud on my peas yesterday

[Kate and her Ducks]

Or you just didnt notice the lovely white worm wiggling about in the pod..    

Ah well, bit of extra protein. Can't have hated them if I didn't notice them.

[Paul Plots]

Pea moth / maggots?

My sister had the answer - aged 5 she "helped" shuck the peas. Found a maggot and invented a cure:

First place pea-pod on the hearth.
Next pick up poker.
Then whack the pod with the poker several times
Finally shuck contents into a bowl....

Results: mushy peas (with extra added protein) and me in trouble as usual when she had done something wrong.

The joys of being an older brother 

[johnhar]

Ambassador peas can safley be sown from now till the end of July, i find it the best late variety but this year i am also going to sow Alderman which is a very tall type. Best first early pea i have grown is Misty & i all ways grow Fortune which i sow in early November and they have come through this winter very well.Normal maincrop is Hurst Green Shaft an old vatiety but still very good.

   John :happy: