[gavinjconway]

Thanks everyone for the advice.. I'll get cracking with the sweetcorn in loo rolls an a few months and get some early peas in the ground end of Feb.. if the ground is not frozen!!

[Totty]

You could also get the piece of ground covered with a piece of black plastic now. This will help warm the soil ready for when you sow the peas.

[gavinjconway]

Thanks Totty - I'll do that..

[DD.]

I'll wait until probably the end of March before I do mine, when the ground has warmed up. I don't like to sow much later as sowing at this time of year avoids the worst of the pea moth larvae.

[gavinjconway]

Thank you DD... I've made a note on my planner..

[Salmo]

I sow my peas by the sprinkle in a shallow drill method.

Something I learned from my dad was after you have sprinkled the seed either walk along the drill or pat it hard with the back of a spade. That ensures that the seed are in good contact with the soil. Then draw loose soil over them and pat that down.

Peas sown directly in the soil rot if they are too wet. Do not water until the first peas show through the surface. Heavy rain straight after sowing spells disaster.

Put sweetcorn between layers of wet kitchen paper in a plastic container in the airing cupboard. Look every day. As soon as you see them germinate plant them into pots. What you see first are roots and these should point downwards. Yes, I know that is perhaps obvious, but it is fundamental to success.

[gavinjconway]

Thanks Salmo...

[gavinjconway]

I'll wait until probably the end of March before I do mine, when the ground has warmed up. I don't like to sow much later as sowing at this time of year avoids the worst of the pea moth larvae.

Hi DD - is this date for early or normal peas..

[DD.]

I only do first or second earlies - Kelvedon Wonder was my staple variety until I built up a stock of my own heritage peas.

I don't do later sowings for the pea moth reason, and even later sowings are prone to mildew.

[gavinjconway]

I only do first or second earlies - Kelvedon Wonder was my staple variety until I built up a stock of my own heritage peas.

I don't do later sowings for the pea moth reason, and even later sowings are prone to mildew.

Cheers DD.. may follow your route as the "Pea God" should be right!!

[DD.]

It wasn't me who coined that name - so don't blame me if it doesn't work out!

[gavinjconway]

no probs.....

[savbo]

and believe me DD's dig a trench and chuck em  in works  they come up better than when I dug a trench and carefully placed them in !! 

it must be the impact that encourages better germination....

 

savbo

[stompy]

Are peas hardy?

[gobs]

Are peas hardy?

For what reason are you asking? Not worth over-wintering really, maybe, but I think some do. Are we talking Hull up northish?