pea supports

[vicki]

what does everyone grow their peas up?
I always thought they grew up canes like beans but after everything I've read I think I'm a bit wrong!!!!
whats best?

[vicki lorraine]

You can select from either the pea nets which can be purchased really cheap often in the poundshop. This is erected with supports at the ends.
Or you can use the prunings from Hazel.
I would like to know which is prefered and how people have got on with the two.

[NOG]

If you use the plastic net you end the season with net/pea stalk as one entiry. that you have to throw in the bin..if you use brush or twiggs you can put the lot in the compost.

[vicki lorraine]

Thanks Nog,
Can you use any twigs? or do they have to be from a particular tree/bush. How tall do the twigs need to be?

[Snadger]

Thanks Nog,
Can you use any twigs? or do they have to be from a particular tree/bush. How tall do the twigs need to be?

Any twigs but willow, which will root and grow quicker than the peas!

The answer to the second question depends on the height of the pea grown!, from 2' to 6'!

[NOG]

The taller you make them the higher the Peas will grow and the bigger the crop.

You can use any old cuttings. What I do is get some thick bamboo then make a net out of twine and let them grow up that. thenwhen they have finished I cut the twine from the canes and bung the lot in the compost.

[nick the grief]

I water mine with VIagra and they stand up in all weathers

[serenity]

Naughty boy

[Two_Sheds]

Don't buy plastic if there's a biodegradable alternative. What about a cotton string net? Sounds daft, but you can make one yourself really easily (good project for the kids on a rainy day). My friend made a goalie net.

[rustylady]

Any twig will do. When I prune the shrubs in my garden, I save the long bits (usually forsythia or Philadelphus), leave to dry and use the next year to support peas. It is vital to let them dry or they will root and grow faster than the peas.

[Sue]

Two Sheds
Go on, tell us how you make nets...please
Sue

[Snadger]

Don't buy plastic if there's a biodegradable alternative. What about a cotton string net? Sounds daft, but you can make one yourself really easily (good project for the kids on a rainy day). My friend made a goalie net.

Rab C Nesbitts vest?

[Poledragon]

I made a big string bag from cotton string, and guess you could adapt the pattern to make a net. I'll try to explain the method - but bear with me if it gets cumbersome!

Take maybe a dozen or 20 pieces of string, each about half as long again as the height you want the net to be. Lay them all out on the table. Tie the first two together about 4" down from the top. Then tie the next two together, and continue until they're all paired. Now go back to the first pair - take the right hand string from that and tie it to the left hand string of the second pair 4" down. Then take the right hand string from the second pair and the left hand string from the third pair and tie 4" down - continue across the rest of the pairs.

Back to the beginning, and tie the two strings of the first pair together again, 4" down from the previous knot - continue across. There should be a pattern emerging now.

Keep going until you've finished your net. In fact, it's such a good idea, I'm off find myself some string!

(just realised I've given the directions for a right handed person - and was assuming that you'd start pairing from the left across to the right... if you do it right to left you'll end up with some bizarre kind of macrame!)

[Dobby]

what a great Idear I supose you could put up 2 bamboo canes and then tye on some string and weave it mabe 3 bamboo canes one acros the top if you carve the 2 siade suports at the top so the one acros sits on the top
that might work
I will have to try it and get Mrs D to explan it as i find it hard to put into words what i meen

[Two_Sheds]

Yes, I'd go with Dobby. When we did it at school, we got a dozen kids to stand in a line, each holding a length of string while I took one crosswise, knotting it to each kiddy string as I went. Repeat as nec. If you haven't got a lot of kids, you could knot each onto a cane to get you started.