[Kristen]

I haven't grown peas for probably 20 years. I go in for a lot of faffing when raising plants (chitting parsnip seed on moist kitchen paper and growing on in newspaper pots) but once the raising season is done and things are planted out I leave them too it - weeding and watering is all they can expect.

So I suppose I think that Peas are a bit of a commitment, low yielding, and a lot of work to shell. BUT ... I know the kids will eat them, and that is persuading me

So best to assume I have zero knowledge pls

My lazy beds are 4' wide. I don't walk on them, so two rows will be difficult to pick in the middle (although see Alderman suggestion below)

Thus I'm thinking rows across the bed would be better, and I can sow a succession of 4' rows.

I think I'll need to use pea sticks as individual nets for 4' lengths are probably going to be too much trouble. All suggestions welcome.

I bought a packet of "Hurst Greenshaft" because there wasn't much choice in the garden centre, and I had a read of the Dr H in the garden centre (nice they provide a library as well as seeds!)  and he says "all the catalogues sing its praises" - I hope that's not tongue-in-cheek for perceived marketing-spin

I probably need to buy some in a bit more bulk, so I can choose some more suitable variety(s) at that time.

My plan is to grow them for the kids Summer holls (so July & August), and I was planning on sowing first week of April, and then once a fortnight thereafter until 1st May

How long a row do I need for each fortnightly sowing? (So I have enough for some meals, rather than just a couple of pods full, and maybe enough if the kids have friends round, but we don't need to grow-to-freeze)

The other thought I had was whether I should grow Alderman?  The Peas will be in the same bed as the Runner Bean - so erecting a taller frame would be OK

[DD.]

Can't really help you with the small scale pea growing, Kristen.  My method is to sow & harvest in bulk, hoping some will make it to the freezer.

I can tell you that they soon catch up. I'm sure you've seen the infamous photos, 2 rows were sown 2 weeks after the first two, but harvest was only 2 days apart. The variety was Kelvedon Wonder, I've grown Greenshaft and they are a decent pea.

Be careful with later sowings as they are prone to pea moth. One of the reasons I prefer to sow the lot mid March and be done with it. I only need to net against pigeons & not mesh against moths.

[DD.]

One further thing - and here we go with a plug for Moles seeds again - if you can't buy them loose, try them

Comparisons -

T & M £2.69 plus post for 250 seed.

Moles £2.80 post free for 500g which equates to between 1,500 to 3,000 seed. You even get 8p knocked off for paying at time of order.

No contest!

[Kristen]

Thanks, Moles would be my first port-of-call for online

How long do peas crop (from first to last pod picked) roughly? That would help me with planning when my last sowing would need to be.

[fatbelly]

T & M £2.69 plus post for 250 seed.

Moles £2.80 post free for 500g which equates to between 1,500 to 3,000 seed. You even get 8p knocked off for paying at time of order.

No contest!

DD, I am going to get my Kelvedon Wonder from Moles, will 500g be enough for two 30 ft rows.

Thanks

[DD.]

More than enough.

Sowing "by the book" needs 12 per foot = 720 for 2 x 30' rows.

You can sow a bit thicker like what I do to allow for non-germination etc.

[JayG]

No good putting a good word in for sugarsnap peas again is it? (more edible produce per yard of growing space and no shelling!) 

[VirginVegGrower]

Sorry to hijack the thread but could I p(l)eas(e) ask DD to confirm that his beautiful serried rows (love em) are the result of his planting drawing (shown elsewhere) with no spraying but sown March to avoid peamoth? I got lots of maggoty peas last year - urgh! Kids loved finding them though...disgusting individuals!
I want DD's peas this year, please God

[Aunt Sally]

... please God

God made peamoths too

[DD.]

They were March sown, no pea moth, no spraying and carefully thrown in by the bucketful.

[bigben]

No good putting a good word in for sugarsnap peas again is it? (more edible produce per yard of growing space and no shelling!) 

I am growing both this year JayG - the kids just eat the peas like sweets or we scatter a few on risotto or salad but the sugarsnap gets used in other ways and having both avoids gluts of one thing. Lots of my peas last year were wasted - I should have picked them at their best then froze them, instead I hung around too long and they turned into  bullets.

[JayG]

No good putting a good word in for sugarsnap peas again is it? (more edible produce per yard of growing space and no shelling!) 

I am growing both this year JayG - the kids just eat the peas like sweets or we scatter a few on risotto or salad but the sugarsnap gets used in other ways and having both avoids gluts of one thing. Lots of my peas last year were wasted - I should have picked them at their best then froze them, instead I hung around too long and they turned into  bullets.

Of course that is another advantage of sugarsnaps; if you leave them too long to eat them whole you can still shell them and eat the peas! Mine also cropped (in a diminishing fashion) for about 3 months for reasons best known to themselves!

Don't actually know whether DD is for or against sugarsnaps; he seems remarkably quiet on the subject! 

[DD.]

I do grow sugarsnaps, but I prefer the real thing.

I just grow about 6' at a time with sucessive sowings.

[VirginVegGrower]

They were March sown, no pea moth, no spraying and carefully thrown in by the bucketful.

Then I will blame my mother as she told me I would be OK with a late sowing! Thanks for advice, much appreciated - showed Mr VVG your supports and told him that is the expected standard this year think he's worried! I am going with your plan! March it is - no later!
Thanks again!

[DD.]

Mid March is a rough guide. Don't do it if it's really cold.