The winter Pea House

[veggiechicken]

I'm toying with turning a GH into a Pea House overwinter - growing dwarf and climbing peas and mangetout and some broad beans in the beds that have been cleared of tomatoes. When I say "beds" they're only 3" - 4" deep, sitting on top of a solid base.

I've grown mangetout in buckets in the GH before and, of course, broad beans outdoors.
Maybe I'll bung a few sweetpeas in too.

What are my chances of success?

[Can the Man]

My 4 pea plants have all sprouted a pea pod. Can’t post photos at the moment

[SarrissUK]

I might join you with that VC! I'll not use any of my special peas, but a box of Leo peas won't break the bank

[MyWifesBrassicas]

Will any peas do for overwinter greenhouse cultivation or are there more winter friendly varieties?

[veggiechicken]

Round seeded peas are the ones to sow outdoors in autumn - like Meteor and Douce Provence - so I'll try those in the GH.

I've grown Bijou mangetout before - only because I had lots of saved seeds. They grew and cropped - not heavily, but the pleasure of nibbling on a freshly picked mangetout in early spring made each one precious.
You can grow peas for pea shoots too - don't have to wait for them to flower.

I'll probably scatter winter salad seeds around the peas too - to make the most of the space.

[MyWifesBrassicas]

I have loads of left over peas that are beginning to age, as i fear it may not be worth trying them in spring and thinking of starting a fresh.
However, if i plant all my left overs for winter growth for pea shoots in a greenhouse should be ok?

[veggiechicken]

Try anything, I do!! I am going to take precautions against those meeces though, they always seem to find any peas I sow in the GH.

[MyWifesBrassicas]

Try anything, I do!! I am going to take precautions against those meeces though, they always seem to find any peas I sow in the GH.

Think i'll give it a go with all my leftovers
Thanks

[ameno]

I have loads of left over peas that are beginning to age, as i fear it may not be worth trying them in spring and thinking of starting a fresh.
However, if i plant all my left overs for winter growth for pea shoots in a greenhouse should be ok?

I've got a lot of old leftover pea seeds (5 years+ old) which I've been growing for pea shoots these last two years. Most of them still germinate just fine.
They may well still be fine for growing normally, too. If you want to avoid patchy germination, just pre-germinate them on damp tissue, and then you can just pot up only the ones which sprout.

[Bren In Pots]

If you have the spare seeds and time give it a go you know you want to anyway I think so long as you don't get long periods of minus temps you should do fine. I grow peas for shoots during winter leaving them on a bedroom window sill they do seem to take ages to grow compared to those in the summer.

[Small pumpkin]

I don’t see why it would work VC. Especially in your subtropical sunny South Wales

[veggiechicken]

I'm guessing you meant "wouldn't" SP - and i agree - though its not very sub-tropical here today!

[bikermike]

I've got some beans i'm keeping going for seed next year.

Might throw some peas in to see what happens.

[Thelma Sanders]

Thnx VC you've just reminded me to sow some of my Winterkefe. I usually start them in Feb, but a mild winter might give me some even earlier than usual - can only try.
It was Baltic overnight but things soon warm up in there on a sunny morning, so fingers crossed

[Small pumpkin]

I'm guessing you meant "wouldn't" SP - and i agree - though its not very sub-tropical here today!

Yeah I meant wouldn’t