[sowitgrowit]

Can I just add to this that I'm watching with great interest - I have a variety of Champion of England which have been saved from gardens local to me for generations. I'm turning 40 seeds into as many as possible in my tiny garden - with the hope of next year getting a decent amount out on my new allotment.

I would like to ask one thing though - I know we are told the final height and planting dates for all things on seed packets, but mine are nowhere even close to being as well developed as the photos in this thread! I'm beginning to wonder if I've done something wrong, under-fed, sowed at the wrong time, etc... My CofE are at their tallest about 18", at the shortest maybe half that.  They seem to be growing reasonably, but I'm now wondering if they should be much more advanced than that by this stage.

They were sown directly outside during the reasonable weather at the end of March as per DD's guidance on spacing etc, watered in then not again until they were all out of the soil.  They have obviously had plenty of rain since then and the odd feed from me.  Should I be doing much more? Should I have prepared the area in a specific way prior to planting?

I have pea envy...

[DD.]

I have some Cof E at home also,they are just starting to shoot up after this cold spell, so hopefully yours will as well.

I have never in my life fed peas. All they require is a humus rich soil & moisture.

[sowitgrowit]

I have some Cof E at home also,they are just starting to shoot up after this cold spell, so hopefully yours will as well.

I have never in my life fed peas. All they require is a humus rich soil & moisture.

Thanks. I hope to catch up with you experts; I've never had a really successful pea crop, though this one is mainly just for seed saving.

[allotment-bill]

hi DD you doing very well with your pea but must warn you not all buds go on to form pods as my fathers journal said had tendency to drop some pods , I'm hoping to build up a stock of seeds so as to send some out after they dry-ed this year

[DD.]

Yes, I wasn't banking on it, that's why my posts had a liberal sprinkling of the word "if"! 

[allotment-bill]

hi PEA GOD  flowers coming all over place at moment plus plenty pods forming , was going to ask how many old varieties you grow on your plots and which one has proven to be your hardest to grow

[DD.]

I've got two varieties in full production on the plot & about 6 varieties at home that I'm seed saving.

In total on the plot I've got 8 x 32' rows. 6 of the rows are from saved seed - not necessarily heritage ones. The two from bought seed are the ones with the poorest germination rate.

[allotment-bill]

Hi Pea God checked my Kent blue peas today and they are romping away have pods on them and looking like at-least 4-5 peas to a pod and they curl like a leaf funny little ones 

[DD.]

My first flower is going over, so hope to have a pod soon. The plant is getting covered in flowers now.

Stay tuned for the next exciting episode!

[The Golden Heap]

great storey well done DD and best of luck Bill

[DD.]

An overview from just a few minutes ago.

First flowers starting to go over, a lot of new ones had appeared and there's loadsa buds not immediately evident in the photo.

[DD.]

Where did that come from?

Cropped from yesterday's photo:





And today:




There appear be 8 pealets in the pod, of course they may not form fully, but we'll see.

[mumofstig]

ooh exciting 

[DD.]

Gripping, innit?

Or should that be griping? 

[allotment-bill]

hi DD just checked mine and they like yours pods getting bigger and fatter now and flowers just keep coming and they just look so good as well