This year I should have peas

[Jay-ell]

Last year I only managed to get 3 pea plants growing which were direct sowed.

I also sowed some at the end of the season of which I think only 1 seed survived to germinate. Little dents were seen on the bed showing that some little varmit had been snacking on them.

This year I was going to start them off in paper/ toilet roll tubes and then plant them out.

Imagine my delight then when, on the bus home, I happen to glance out of the window abd spied a pile of junk discarded by the road with what appeared to be a length of guttering poking out from it. I was just as overjoyed to find it was still there the next day when I went back for it.

I've bagged two 10 foot lengths, a 6 foot, a 5 foot and three 3 foot lengths. My rows will be 4 foot so once trimmed that will make 6 full length and 6 half length trays to start my peas in the greenhouse.

Wpuld it be best to cover the ends with tape to stop the compost dropping out? If so should I drill holes in the gutters for drainage or just poke holes in the tape?

[Bigmallly]

I would think you would be better capping the ends of the gutters to hold the compost. You can buy them for about £1 each. I would also drill the guttering to aid drainage. My Peas/Beans are going to be grown in tin cans half buried in the hope of keeping vermin away but that wouldn't work with guttering as the idea is to slide the whole lot out into a trench.

[Jay-ell]

Tin cans hmmm - never thought of armour plating my plants. Have you tried this before? I'm interested in how this turns out.


I've been thinking about how to get my moneys worth out of these. I've got clay soil so sowing in the soil early last year had patchy germination and thought that things like lettuce, spinach, chard, etc might also benefit from gutters and save the panhandling the get when I move them out of modules. Also radishes wouldn't even need to be moved out - finally I can eat from the gutter without the shame.

Any ideas as to which other plants could work in the gutters?

[arpoet]

I just block the ends of the guttering with reclaimed polystyrene. Easy to remove when you are ready to slide the peas into your trench.

[Kristen]

I've started peas in guttering and never bothered to block the ends, on a length of guttering a bit of a slope in the compost at the end didn't bother me. Might work better thought, but I'm too lazy! I didn't find the need for drainage holes either, although need to be careful with watering - if the roots grew through the drainage holes it wouldn't be possible to slide the contents out when "planting".

[Alison]

From experience I think it's a bad idea to drill holes as the roots get tied up and it's much harder to slide out. Also, don't go for long lengths, they're hard to balance. I've cut mine into seed tray lengths and rest them in there with the sides of the tray preventing soil fall out. I got the idea from some expensive ones you could buy on the root trainer site, works brilliantly and in my case, 3 lengths of guttering equals 1 row of my bed.

[Jay-ell]

I was mulling it over and thought against drain holes for the same reasons. I also thought that shorter lengths would be easier to move in & out of the greenhouse as well as about the plot. It'll also be easier to use multiple lengths to make a long row rather than split a longer length to make short rows. Just have to decide on the length.

I like the seed tray idea, so three tray length would be a tad under 4 foot. I'll have to see if I can get more than one width per gravel tray. I like the idea that at that length they would also fit into propagators. May cut the shortest lengths as these are the squared types and are narrower.

[Kristen]

I have a long length of guttering; its a bit hairy moving it around! but I suspend it from the roof so that the mice can't climb up anything to get to the seed / seedlings ... and nothing above for them to parachute from either!

[Jay-ell]

Well I have to take into account a couple of factors

1. I can be a bit of a clumsy sod at times and don't want my peas to end up on top of the shed
2. The space between the greenhouse door and the hedge is about 3 feet so, including a bit of wiggle space, that'll set my max limit to about 4 foot
3. I have been known not to notice walls and end up walking into them so anything dangling from the top of my greenhouse is likely to get seasick pretty soon.

Great idea though

[Highlander]

I agree with those that have said no blocked ends and no drainage holes. I use lengths about 1.2m (4ft) long and my first attempt I blocked the ends and drilled holes for drainage. The compost at the blocked ends collapsed when it came to removing the plants so disturbed the roots also roots grew through the drain holes making it difficult to slide the length of plants out. Now I use no holes and they plans come out easily.

[Bren In Pots]

I've gone with the no holes then I use 'Duck tape' to block the ends.

[Damian Jay]

Hurrumph ...Gee... THANKS GUYS!

Now, because of this great idea, I have to rummaging through the depths of the garage tomorrow to find the old guttering I've kept from years ago on 'It might come in handy one day' theory.

Just goes to prove that the theory is right

Seriously though, what a neat idea for old unused guttering.

[Shadylane]

I faffed about with peas for years before discovering the guttering method. So much easier than pots. I also use tape at the ends (and no drainage holes) but I'm liking some of the ideas on here. I always pre-chit mine after soaking overnight, then once sprouting I bung them in.

Never had a problem with mice, they supposedly don't like them after sprouting, though don't know if this is true. I do have to protect them for a while once planted out though, as the rabbits just mow them down.

[Highlander]

My dad always soaked peas and bean overnight in paraffin (40 years ago now). Said it kept the mice off them.

[plotman]

Wow what a science to germinate peas lol. I simply grow them in old small pots each year and plant out with root ball in tact, Wash pots and so main crop straight in same pots. What could be easier?