Peas- No germination

[Cosmo and Dibs]

I sowed about 250 Kelvedon Wonder pea seeds, from the manufacturer 'Cottons'.

My soil is lumpy, so I made drills, lined them with compost, sowed the seeds, then filled the drill up with 2" of compost.

Only 5 out of the 250 have germinated.

I'm now left with 4 rows with nothing growing, and it all looks a little silly, as I have erected climbing frames and put over netting.

What can I do?

I had sown some in newspaper pots just in case there were any gaps, but only a few of these have germinated, too.

Is anyone else having problems with pea germination this year?

(By the way, they were sown 3-4 weeks ago.)

[Two_Sheds]

Did you water the drills, or the seed?

[Two_Sheds]

Mice may have dug them up and eaten the seed, that's why I chit them on kitchen towel before I sow them.

Having said that, my direct-sown ones have been awful, still only 3" high whereas my loo-roll ones are in pod.

[Incy]

I also grew kelvedon wonders this year. Happily mine have done really well. It's my first attempt at peas. I am currently watching the pods start to swell
I am really excited as I have never ever tried a pea that wasn't frozen or tinned

[Cosmo and Dibs]

I did water them in, but after I had covered the seeds with compost.

Should I wet the seed before covering them?

I don't think its mice as the compost is eactly the same as when I left it.

[bluemoon]

Mice will leave the soil looking apparently undisturbed. Chit them on damp paper first, a germinating seed has a foul taste, so it stops the mice and birds from eating them - it's one of the reasons you have to constantly rinse mung beans. - I've just sown two short rows of approx 75 seeds and all seem to have emerged. I went from almost total failure to complete success by adopting this method. It works for beans and sweetcorn too (it also means I went from 6 bags of compost a season to just two because now if something can possibly be sprouted and then direct sown I do it).

[Bramble_killer]

How do you chit them on damp kitchen roll? I have an appalling germination rate as well, thought it was the Lidl seeds at first but then the t&m ones haven't made an appearance as well so presume that I can't grow sodding peas and beans

[Cosmo and Dibs]

Thats the question I've got, too- how exactly do you chit the peas?

I've read somewhere else that you soak them in a pot for 4 hours......????

[Two_Sheds]

- how exactly do you chit the peas?

- soak overnight in cold water
- tip out water in morning
- rinse peas (or beans) daily in fresh water
- when you get shoots, plant them

[Two_Sheds]

I did water them in, but after I had covered the seeds with compost.

Should I wet the seed before covering them?

You should wet the drill, then sow the seed, then cover with dry soil (or compost)

[bluemoon]

- soak overnight in cold water
- tip out water in morning
- rinse peas (or beans) daily in fresh water
- when you get shoots, plant them

Alternatively, line a seed tray with kitchen paper, wet it, spread the seeds out on the paper, put another layer on top and wet that, then keep the whole shebang in a plastic-bag for a couple of days. When they have roots about half an inch or so long, sow them as normal. Pigeons might still eat the newly emerged shoots so net them for a week or two, just in case.

[Skotch]

My method is simply to put the peas into a jar of luke warm water overnight and then sow the following day into drills which have been watered - no messing about with paper, cotton wool or anything else. I've had fantastic results using this method with Feltham First peas and am currently on my 3rd successional sowing.

[esrikandan]

I start mine of in modules first in the relative protection of my patio and then plant them out when they are 6" tall or so. Might be a faff for 250 mind but I do 2x 24 cell modules at a time. So far only a couple per tray have failed to germinate and these are from last years seed.

[Alison]

I just shove mine in the soil at this time of year and they all seem to come up OK. Sounds to me like you have some dodgy seeds if nothing is coming, even in modules. Get some more seeds and try again. Good Luck!

[Nicos]

I planted mine out a few weeks ago after soaking them for a couple of hors- and only about 10 came up from a box of them - yup KW but from a French company
Anyway- we've re-sown a week ago- and most of them have come up- so it might be worth trying again