peas - questions, questions!!

[northepaul]

Hi all
I have acouple of questions about peas:
I am saving seed from my parsley peas (actually all of them as I only had 8 to start with) but wondered whether I can pick them and dry them out to save inside, or if they have to stay on the plant to dry out?
Its just they keep getting eaten on the plant and its likely there wont be any at all soon!
Secondly, we got our allotment earlier this year, and I would like to grow some peas over winter, but wondered what the best, toughest and most hardy variety is? How many plants do you think I would need to get a reasonable crop next year? (Ie 20 or more like 50?)
Thanks for your help x

[Two_Sheds]

Peas don't actually grow over winter. They will, like autumn sown broad beans, just sit there until early spring, then they'll get going to give you a slightly earlier crop than spring-sown ones

[Potstubsdustbins]

To add to 2Sheds post the crop will depend on what peas you grow. I grow Kelverton Wonder a smaller variety at about 3ft high. I grow about 90 plants sown 2" apart 6" between rows and with luck I can get two sowings a year. Still not enough peas I just love fresh peas.


Colin

[Hazel at the Hill]

Good question! I'd like to clear my pea wigwams away to get the brassicas transplanted so I would also like to know when I can take the pods off the plants.

I can leave them to dry out happily in the pods in the garage, but I would like to know if it would be ok to take the mature pods off the plants now.

[northepaul]

Thanks for the replies all
Hazel I guess no-one knows about saving peas.....we'll just have to make our own minds up and hope for the best

[zazen999]

I harvested a load last night, sneezed the whole time and nearly lost my voice doing so.

I usually have a tray with the name of the crop; and take the dried ones off as they dry off.

If the pods are starting to all look a little crispy - like yesterday - I harvest the lot in one go.

I'll be wearing a mask next time.

[Two_Sheds]

Hazel I guess no-one knows about saving peas.....

I've always managed to leave peas on the plant to ripen and dry, it's my kidney beans that cause me trouble, because they mature when the days are getting damp & mouldy.
Then, I pull the whole stem on the last possible day and hang them somewhere dry (not the shed) to crisp up. Or, individual pods on newspaper in the spare room

[Flummery]

I like to dry both peas and beans as far as possible on the plant but once the shell becomes papery in the case of peas, hard and crisp in the case of beans, then I have them off and dry them on newspaper in the sun on my dining table. Each paper is labelled in pen with the variety (they all look very similar at this stage) and we have to camp out and eat on our knees for a few weeks!

[SarzWix]

I've pulled up whole plants before now and hung them in the garage to carry on drying, The seeds did germinate the following year. But like the others, I did leave them in the ground for as long as possible before doing it. This year, I've made the pea frames big enough that I can plant brassicas underneath them if needs be, they can then benefit from the nitrogen in the pea roots. Light won't be that compromised because the pea plants will be withering.

[Alison]

I let mine dry on the plant too and then leave them to dry a bit more on a tray in the conservatory. They do dry pretty quickly though, have some already saved for next year from the early sowings.

[BUFFS]

i pull the plants up and hang the whole lot up in the g/house,only take the peas off when totally dry..

[northepaul]

ok thanks all, I will leave them as long as possible then

[Hazel at the Hill]

Thanks all - I'll have a poke around these plants at the weekend to see how many pods I have which I think I can take off, I think.

After all, I'm not (realistically) going to need more than a dozen really ripe pods to save for seed for next year, and this is brilliant drying weather.

[northepaul]

Im glad mine arent the only ones that have started going yellow!

[Davyburns]

Is it too late to start another sowing?