advice for pea growing

Gardening to 'grow your own food' from square foot to half an acre !!
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keemjay
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advice for pea growing

Post by keemjay »

hi there
I seem to struggle every year to keep my peas supported properly..whatever i do they seem to flop over in a huge heap. just interested in the techniques others use? last couple of years I've used that quite tough plastic squared fencing(which you buy in a roll) in a straight line held in place with bamboo canes weaved through..(its about 60cm high)and planted a row either side of it..it all stays in place quite nicely and the peas grow up it initially but then they seem to just weave amongst themsleves rather than attaching firmly to the support..and then inevitably it gets too heavy for itself and flops over leaving the support behind! So in short it doesnt work!
can someone describe what they do successfuly please! i love my peas but last couple of years have been a huge disappointment :o(
many thanks

Kim
Maggie1

Re: advice for pea growing

Post by Maggie1 »

When you go out next and see some old overgrown bushes, pick a load of the branches, strip the leaves off and use them. Put them like a hedge by the peas and they will scramble up them.
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Annie
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Re: advice for pea growing

Post by Annie »

It's one of the jobs I do too pea stick finding. There is a small wood just a few yards from the cu de sac and about May time I take myself off to find a bundle of sticks. I look for forked ones so I can wind the peas round them and give them space as they grow. Don't put the sticks in straight lines but stagger either side of the row at angles , what I mean is if you put the 1st one on the left side of the row, then angle it towards the right and so on.
What you need is for the flowers to get pollinated , once the peas have started growing and are ready for picking it is a bit like hunt the thimble but this is the way that works best in my garden.
Oh and of course it costs nothing )c(
It will be alright in the end , if its not alright, it isn't the end .
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lancashire lass
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Re: advice for pea growing

Post by lancashire lass »

For the shorter varieties, I use twiggy pea sticks too (as in it isn't a single stick but has side branches) but for taller varieties, I build something a little more substantial. It's a bit of a cross between a bean frame with pea & bean netting. I have the frame leaning towards the south with 2 or 3 uprights to brace the frame from falling over - easier to show you what I mean:

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grandmaeileen
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Re: advice for pea growing

Post by grandmaeileen »

We use pea sticks when the plants are small, then canes and chicken wire. We grew a variety called "Alderman" last year which grow to over 6' and put them against the fruit cage and they scrambled up that. Lovely big pods and peas.
Good luck with yours
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keemjay
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Re: advice for pea growing

Post by keemjay »

thaks so much for the replies..i think i've been growing a tall variety on a frame thats too small! feel better prepared now..about to go out and make something bigger!
cheers again
Kim
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