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How to grow Peas in the GardenGardening Expert Lancashire Lass shows us how![]() Introduction:Clarence Birdseye may have invented the frozen pea, but home grown peas are best when picked and eaten fresh out of the pod. Some varieties have very pretty flowers too. And because they are self-fertile, the variety remains stable so any peas left to mature can be saved to sow the following yearSoil Preparation:Digging in fresh compost and addition of a general purpose fertiliser such as Growmore before sowing will provide all the essential nutrients. Adding a little horticultural lime on acidic soil is advisable.When to Sow:Early pea varieties can be sown as early as late February but generally from March onwards when the soil is less saturated and cold would be better for improved germination. To ensure harvests throughout summer, sow a few seeds every other week through to July – later sowings may catch up with earlier ones as the weather warms up proper. Mangetout and sugar snap can be treated like early peas and sown in succession.Maincrop and marrowfat peas need a longer growing season but best to sow when the soil is warmer to encourage quick growth - from mid-late April would be ideal. Sowing:Make a shallow trench about 3 inches wide and an inch deep, and sow seeds every 2 inches apart in a zig zag formation along rows about 2 feet apart. Cover with soil and water in.Support:Peas produce grasping tendrils and will smother neighbours in an effort to grow taller – providing a support will also make it easier to see and pick the pods. Early and dwarf varieties usually grow no taller than 3-4 feet so twiggy sticks placed either side of a row will suffice. Taller peas need a sturdy frame which not only supports the plants and crop, but will not blow over in a strong wind – use pea/bean netting on a cane frame braced against falling over (like a modified A frame), or use taut twine at different heights between posts. Some very tall pea varieties can easily reach 6 feet.
Peas need very little attention when they are growing other than keeping the bed weed free and watered regularly especially during hot weather. As pea plants grow and produce crops quickly, additional feeding is not necessary. When plants begin to flower, watch out for the pods as they develop - the sweetest and most tender peas are from pods that are filled but still green. When pods fade and appear wrinkled, the sugars in the peas are turning to starch. Mangetout should be cropped when the peas in the pods are just starting to develop. When picked regularly, plants will produce a second crop before they die back. |
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