Planting out peas

[OverWyreGrower]

I've got some Kelvedon Wonder peas that are nearly ready to go outside...

We have very weedy ground - it's horrible - and I was wondering what I could use as a mulch for the peas (and eventually, beans etc)

We've got plenty of straw (with or without chook poo), newspaper, compost etc, but I'm not sure what would be best to use

Can anyone shed any light?

Thanks

OWG

[SarzWix]

I'd use all of the above Newspaper, then compost, then straw. The newspaper and compost keep in moisture, suppress weeds and eventually improve the soil, the straw will block the light, and eventually rot down. Straw can be a bit bad for stripping nitrogen from the soil, but it won't matter so much with peas because they fix their own.

[zazen999]

I think I'd dig a trench, line it with cardboard from boxes and put a sieved mix of soil and home made compost in it. Then, more card surrounding it to try and suppress those weeds.

[Jenny22Cumbria]

If you decide not to mulch you need to remember to plant your seedlings in such a way that you can hoe between them - I didn't really think about this until my beans came through last year (!) but if you plant/sow them next to the supports (rather than in front) you can hoe straight down alongside the row without cutting any of your plants off at the stem. You still have to hand-weed between the canes/supports but at least most of it can be done quickly

Have you got a lawn? (Or a nice neighbour with one?) I've just used newspaper to mulch my raspberries with grass cuttings on top - seems to be OK so far

[Jameslovell]

I have read alot recently about using grass cuttings or straw as mulch. Doesn't it blow away? Or do you do something to stop it? I have never mulch before (not saying much, not had my allotment a year yet) but am going to this winter.

[SarzWix]

No, it doesn't seem to blow away, although I watered the straw when I first put it on, but it seems to bind together quite well and just stay put.

[Jameslovell]

Where do you get ur straw from? I guess I would need quite alot, maybe a few bales.
How much did you use and over what kind of area?
Thanks in advance.

[SarzWix]

Erm, I nicked a bale off my dad But it's commonly used as bedding for animals, so if you don't have a handy farmer to ask, you could try equestrian supply places, pet supplies/shop, country stores? One bale was enough for a reasonably thick mulch on a 1.2m x 3m bed.