[Salmo]

Is it time to plant peas yet?

[juliec]

Hi Salmo, sorry to jump on your thread, but whilst DD is answering yours maybe he can tell us, why we can eat the pods of beans but we dont eat the pods of peas.

thanks

[Salmo]

While we are eagerly awaiting DD's reply I can answer that. We do eat pea pods but only mange tout or sugar snap varieties which have tender pods and that we eat before the peas develop. With beans we do sometimes eat tiny broad beans pods and all. We do not eat pods of borotti beans or haricot varieties of French beans.

[DD.]

Hi Salmo, sorry to jump on your thread, but whilst DD is answering yours maybe he can tell us, why we can eat the pods of beans but we dont eat the pods of peas.

thanks

'cos a pea is not a bean!

Anyway, I'll aim to be sowing early April, may have been tempted for end of March if I thought it was warm enough, but I'll be away, so that's that sorted!

Sorry for absence, but sometimes I actually go to my plot!

[flitwickone]

my 1st lot of marrowfat and garden peas are in covered with cosy enviromesh and the second lot have been prepped for two weeks time and i might plant some mushypeas later 

[DD.]

i might plant some mushypeas later 

Make sure you take them out of the tin first.

[Hampshire Hog]

Salmo you might like to get ahead by sowing some peas in a bit of guttering.
If you search the site I think there is a description of what to do.
I do this as it avoids my peas being eaten before they get a chance to grow

Cheers HH

[Goosegirl]

I always sow my first lot in lengths of guttering. When ready to go into the ground, I slide them out sidewards not lengthwise as I find it easier. I have sown them too early in the past and, as I am behind in things, I hope to do it at the end of the month.

[Salmo]

I threw caution to the wind today and sowed some peas. The forecast is for getting warmer next week.

If the mice eat them or they rot I will sow some more. If not I will have early peas.

[Rampant_Weasel]

ive sown mine in cells in the coldframe cos ive always direct sown b4 so seeing if this is a better way.also because some are heritage peas and i dont want to risk them in the ground.
i can understand DD`s point tho because it took me ages to sow them all lol!

[DD.]

I've got 6 new varieties of heritage peas to sow, but only have 10 of each seed, so they will be given the individual treatment.

The other heritages, I have large tins of now and they will just get chucked in by the handful.

[upert]

one old boy told me to dig a shallow trench and scatter the peas in. simple sowing. i don't know whether this is something he's learned over the years or whether, seeing as he's 90-odd, he hasn't the energy to do them all individually at set distances.

[DD.]

As I frequently say:

I hope you don't think I perfectly plant all my rows in such precision, I've got better things to do with my time!

In practice I throw them in by the handful and hope for an average of those spacings, with a few extra to allow for losses.

[toasted]

i best sit on my hands then 

[MoreWhisky]

Cant wait to sow mine, but i will be waiting few weeks yet.