[Totty]

Hi all,

 Last year we grew too many runners. Two rows of 20ft. and still have loads in the freezer which is fine, but the missus wants me to grow peas, and im only going to go as far as to half my runners.
 Therefore i plan to grow the tall pea Alderman an a 20ft row, sowing as per a post i spotted by DD the pea king!
 I also have a small patch next to it where i have 8ftx3ft available to grow peas. With both these spaces used for peas, can i xpect a reasonable crop for two adults and two babies!!?!
 I dont want to waste any room and after seing the amount of plants some of you have posted on here, it seems i am a little undergunned!!!

Totty

[Nicki85]

I've just been lectured by DD on peas on my last post    If you have a look through my posts you will see it gives some godd advice on spacing etc.  Expect he will be along soon to comment anyhow 

[mumofstig]

the only point I would make (while we wait for DD ) is that the tall peas don't climb up poles in the same way as beans do. They may cling to netting a bit, but really need to be tied in to the supports.

[Ma and Pa Snip]

Hi Totty

If you are feeling you might be 'undergunned' with a 20ft row of Alderman then we were positively 'unarmed' as space in out backgarden is limited.

We grew around 100 Alderman on 'wigwam' canes with netting around last year, we didnt get enough crop from this to freeze any but we did enjoy regular pickings throughout the harvesting period.

Oh for the day when we finally get to the top of the allotment waiting list again, IF I'm still alive by then !!!

[DD.]

I have to say at the outset that I've not grown Alderman, it's a suggestion for those with limited space to at least get some in!

The books will tell you that the average pea yield is only 1lb per foot of row. Two things to comment on here:

1 - I think this a bit optimisitic.

2 - It assumes the peas will make it back home.

Peas are not a very productive crop for the room they take up, but it's worth finding  bit of space for some.

[mumofstig]

and I take it that yield is at the high density of 12 seed to 1ft, as in your planting diagrams

[DD.]

Yup, as per Dr. H.

[noshed]

I mainly eat mine when I'm up the plot

[Springlands]

I mainly eat mine when I'm up the plot

Best way to eat them - straight from the pod. Cannot wait to taste my first home grown of the year. Yummmmmm

[scousemouse]

Yup. Peas never make it home.  Although I've never grown enough really to have some left over to take home after all the munching.  The same goes for mange tout actually.

Hope springs eternal for me with peas.  After getting a few the first year, we didn't get any after that because of wind damage and pigeons and slugs pulling off a pincer movement on too small plants. 

I did absolutely everything last year - pea sticks, bird scarers, put the plants out too big for the slugs and sowed straight into the soil at the same time as planting out the seedlings so I'd get a succesional crop - only to get pea moth.  Sigh.

[Springlands]

Yup. Peas never make it home.  Although I've never grown enough really to have some left over to take home after all the munching.  The same goes for mange tout actually.

Hope springs eternal for me with peas.  After getting a few the first year, we didn't get any after that because of wind damage and pigeons and slugs pulling off a pincer movement on too small plants. 

I did absolutely everything last year - pea sticks, bird scarers, put the plants out too big for the slugs and sowed straight into the soil at the same time as planting out the seedlings so I'd get a succesional crop - only to get pea moth.  Sigh.

Such are the joys of gardening - grrrrrrrrr.

[Ian_A]

Peas don't give the best yield, as stated, given the space they take up but  the taste is great with most varieties.
 
That said, I now don't bother with peas so much for the treasures in the pods: Instead I tend to grow peas more to eat the shoots which I find to be far superior than the peas themselves and great in a salad or as a salad in its own right. I even managed through to Christmas with pea shoots by growing a load in the greenhouse. Even wilting pea shoots with some garlic is great dish in itself!

[Kleftiwallah]

Alderman peas - increase the height of the netting by 50% !     Cheers,   Tony.

[DD.]

Looking at the first post again, I think the OP is fully aware of that.

[Trillium]

I grow peas only for fresh eating. The taste is superb. Cooking them spoils it. Lunch time often finds me sitting in the garden tossing empty pea shells  :happy: