[DD.]

I errrr - use netting.

Staking the way I do means you can just throw netting over the top of the stakes. Never had a problem with them getting tangled up. You can probably just make the netting out in this piccie:

[Gizzy]

Thats quite a huge area devoted to peas DD. I knows peas are low yield compared to other veg. Do you use the ground for something else as soon as they're done cropping? Or do you have the luxury of a large plot?

[DD.]

Got the luxury of 2 large plots, well one's mine & the other's Mrs Digger's.

Allegedly.

[Gizzy]

Got the luxury of 2 large plots, well one's mine & the other's Mrs Digger's.

Allegedly.

Ah lucky you! Are they on the same site? Since i went on waiting lists, i've been offered 6 plots across my area, but none of them near the site i'm currently on, so just getting to both sites would be difficult to do often enough. If they were in the same area using the same transport links it would be easy.
I would love a second plot. It's so hard to grow everything you want to.
Is it allowed to have two plots or did you get around that by Mrs Digger putting her name down?

Impressive peas by the way!

[DD.]

Thank you!

They are next but one to each other.

I took on my plot 9 years ago this autumn - had 3 previous ones but the council kept selling them off to build on them. When I went for my current one, there was not such thing as a watining list and plenty of plots were being neglected.

After cultivating this for a few years Mrs Digger took a shine to her current plot - badly overgrown, but with a shed that only needed a bit of attention.  She phoned the council - plot was not currently let and no waiting list, so we took it on. Pictured before & after:





It's now a different story with waiting lists, of course.

Apologies for the diversion!

[Gizzy]

What a brilliant transformation!
And yes, i apologise too for taking the topic off pea sticks.
I was just curious as it seems to do peas right, you need to grow a lot of them, and plenty of space. I love your string method. I'm still debating whether to do any this year because previously using a square bed filled with pea sticks meant a night mare for tangling and harvesting, for me anyway. 

[JayG]

What a brilliant transformation!
And yes, i apologise too for taking the topic off pea sticks.
I was just curious as it seems to do peas right, you need to grow a lot of them, and plenty of space. I love your string method. I'm still debating whether to do any this year because previously using a square bed filled with pea sticks meant a night mare for tangling and harvesting, for me anyway. 

By our usual standards this is still completely on topic! 

I just don't have the space that DD has for peas, but have noticed from pictures he has posted that his peas are netted against pigeons early in their growth but then just supported by canes and string.

Having had to surgically remove the protective netting from my sugarsnaps last year (mainly because it was only about 4' high and the peas wanted to grow to 6'!) I am wondering at what stage DD removes the netting to leave them to their own devices.

[mumofstig]

DD's 'rough guide to peas' suggests he leaves them on till harvested
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=20689.msg248207#msg248207

  

[JayG]

I'm sure he'll explain all sooner rather than later! (I was going on the picture in "reply #5" in this thread which appears to be net-less, although my eyes ain't what they used to be!) 

[mumofstig]

In this post after pic no 4, he explains more

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=50902.msg602767#msg602767

[JayG]

Ah! (really must pay more attention!)

Oh! (what a shame; in my limited experience "protective netting + peas = extra work")

[DD.]

If you look closely at the piccie, you'll see the netting to the left hand side where it's been removed to to hoe.

[Babstreefern]

I use decorative garden eging fencing - they are plastic coated wiring which are in hoopes and they have "legs" that stick into the ground.  Each section is about 3 feet long, and I have 12 of them - perfect.  I set them out in zig-zag lines, and when in the ground they are roughly two and a half feet high, and I got them free and I use them year in, year out.  Great

[strangerachael]

I use decorative garden eging fencing - they are plastic coated wiring which are in hoopes and they have "legs" that stick into the ground.  Each section is about 3 feet long, and I have 12 of them - perfect.  I set them out in zig-zag lines, and when in the ground they are roughly two and a half feet high, and I got them free and I use them year in, year out.  Great

They sound useful - where are they from and how much do they cost and can you post a picture?

[rowlandwells]

i must say DD your peas look a treat although looking at the picture your soil looks good growing ground and there's probably something under those peas because they look a good colour 

i usually set my peas in pots before transplanting them on the lottie and use peas sticks never had any problem using sticks i have tried your method and it works the same i grow onward peas lucky for me the council have just trimmed the trees near our lottie so plenty of pea sticks available