Overwintering Peas

[Vince G]

Evening all, can someone give me some advice on peas please? I planted some Douce Provence a couple of weeks ago as I read on the packet that they can be planted in autumn to overwinter. Also the Use By date on the pack is the end of the year so I thougt I'd chuck them in and see what happened.

As it's now dark when I leave work, I can only get to the allotment at weekends so with frost forecast in my neck of the woods this week, I put plastic cloches over the rows - the cloches stand about 18 inches high. Couple of questions:

A) Is it really necessary to put the cloches over, i.e. as this variety overwinters, would they withstand the frost anyway?
B) If the cloches are worthwhile, how tall will the plants get over the winter, before I can uncover them, i.e. will they be cramped by the cloches?

Any other advice regarding things I might not have thought of would be appreciated.

[Two_Sheds]

I don't know DP but it does say suitable for overwintering. I've got Meteor outside now, about 3" which is enough. I don't cloche them - I don't want them growing too tall and lush in the autumn because they'll only get battered by winter gales & wotnot.

All I've done is put some chicken wire over the top to keep the sparrows off

[Alison]

I've not grown that variety either but as TS said, you want them sturdy for the winter. One thing worth knowing though, don't worry about use by dates on most seeds. Peas will happily germinate for years afterwards, as will most legumes, brassicas, tomatoes etc. Parsnips are the most dodgy ones but even they will do OK for two years if you want to risk it.

[Vince G]

OK, thanks guys, I'll uncover them next weekend when I go to the lottie. One or two were sprouting yesterday, so I guess the cloches may have given them a better start, but don't want them to get too used to the warm!

[Fruit&2veg]

I would agree -apart from some deterrent to bird damage, they are very hardy and would be better left uncovered. Have never had a great problem overwintering Douce de Provence.

[Aberdeenplotter]

One thing worth knowing though, don't worry about use by dates on most seeds.

Damned good advice that. use the common sense approach and relate that also to sowing and planting times. If I followed the advice on most seed packets, my crops would have frostbite before they could germinate