Peas

[percy charlie]

mine didnt get eaten and didnt germinate i just planted them too early outside in pot in the greenhouse as no space this years in doors so now no peas, but they are best started off inside as everyone has said.

[tony warner]

has anybody had dealings with worm tea made from worm castings

[Mrs Dobby]

We've found a way of planting them that seems to put the mice off, dunno if it'll work for you, but may be worth a go!

I used to buy garlic salt in largish tubs (I love garlic, and garlic salt is an easy (and cheap) way to get the taste - before we started to grow our own), and tried using the tub to soak the peas before planting (and beans too), the tubs although washed still smell strongly of garlic, so impart that smell which to some extent masques the pea smell, so the mice can't find them after they've been planted.

[Sue]

Hi
Mice had my first two sowings of peas but I tried two things. I bought some of those giant propagator lids that fit over two seed trays and that kept the little darlings off. This works if you're sowing in pots outside too, I've got my French beans growing like this. I also tried direct sowing of later peas and put them in a raised bed covered tightly with enviromesh. Either the mice dont venture further down the plot or that put them off and they've come up as well.
I've learned that once the mice have found your greenhouse, nothing can be grown from seed uncovered. They will rake round in pots "just in case".

Something else that will put them off though, put some paraffin in a sprayer and lightly spray the sides of the surrounding benches, that puts them off too.

best wishes
Sue

[deemon]

another pea problem

my peas germinated really well, some i put directly into the ground and some in pots and transplanted them when they were about 3 inches tall. they have all grown to about 18 inches and are producing some fruit but they seem to have stopped growing and the fruit is very sparse. I am growing them by the side of a wall where i also have cucumbers which are suffering from exactly the same problem, further down the garden away from the wall I have various bean varieties growing and they seem to be doing well, any thoughts as to the problem. cheers

[Two_Sheds]

further down the garden away from the wall I have various bean varieties growing and they seem to be doing well, any thoughts as to the problem. cheers

You're in Turkey? Is it very dry there?
Anything grown next to a wall will be even dryer.

[tony warner]

im trying to encourage frogs,newts,toads onto my plot does anybody know if you can purchase them

[snohare]

I'd be very surprised if you could Tony, there are heaps of regulations about sales or even just physical transfer of amphibians nowadays, virtually all of them are protected species, even the "common" ones. Try contacting your local gardening clubs, or maybe the local National Trust wildlife service wardens ? Even the local authority might have Wardens (Rangers if you're in Scotland) that could help you with advice etc.
Failing that, contact the local library and see if they have contact details for the local British Trust For Conservation Volunteers groups. BTCV is an umbrella organisation that pretty much anyone who is into planting trees or managing wildlife ponds will belong to - and they are the folk who are forever wishing they had homes for tadpoles that will otherwise die of overcrowding.

[tony warner]

thank you sprouter i will give it a try