peas/sweet peas/thanks Alice

[suee]

After reading the thread about french beans and finally some info on Garden Action (phew that was a worry when the site went down) about peas, if I'm right it seems that the bean germination can wait till April. But maybe peas a little earlier - so should I sow some peas and sweet peas to grow on the windowsill to grow on together? I'm thinking best to aim for early crops before the water restrictions become a serious problem. Alice - thanks for the advice about north facing seedlings - I've now moved the tomato seedlings that had started to yellow a bit, out of the sunny window.

[nick the grief]

I wouldn't grow sweet peas with ordinary ones Suee, Most peas only grow to about 2-3 foot tall whereas sweet peas will get to 6' no probs. Would be ok with runner beans though.
If there are any sweet peas you like (colour or scent etc) tie a bit of bright coloured wool round the stem & let the go to seed & then save it for next year.
Sweet peas pollenate themselves before the flowers open so they'll come true. If you have more than one that you like use differnst coloured wool and write it in a note book (labels are like the memory - fade fast!) and save them in seperate packets & write on the envelope the colour - unless you don't mind a mixture.

Phew, I'm knac.. er tired now, don't know how Geordie does it

[Lesley Jay]

But don't let them go to seed until the end of the season. Keep picking the flowers and if any seed heads do form before the end of the season cut them off straight away because the sweet peas will stop flowering.

[nick the grief]

Well spotted LJ. Glad to see you're awake

[suee]

Many thanks NTG and LJ - will do - that's a good tip for the sweet peas. I am writing eveything down as my memory is becoming 'senior'.

[JennieAtkinson]

Talking of peas - any advice on how to support peas. I can't get hold of pea sticks or twigs for obvious reasons, but last year put pea netting on canes and it all got in a terrible mess. I crossed two rows of canes and put the pea netting over the top, so there was a large bit in the middle which I couldn't reach.
Any suggestions for this year?

[sewer rat]

Jennie
Depending on which type you are growing;

1. A fencepost at each end of the row, with either wires or strings attached at intervals, and vertical strings tied to these at each growing point. Alternatively, just attach your pea netting to the posts.

2. One method Geordie suggested for French or Runner Beans that would be suitable for a climbing pea such as Alderman, is an inverted tepee - narrower at the bottom than at the top, helping to ensure the pods hang on the outside, and are easily seen and harvested.

Hope this helps

Rat

[Lesley Jay]

I just use cane sticks put in the ground at intervals - in a straight line - and tie garden string across. As the peas grow I add another line of string for them to cling to. To begin with to stop them falling on the ground I put a double row of string across and carefully thread the pea plants up between the two rows to hold them up.

[SueA]

Suee, you could sow some sweet peas & peas in pots on your windowsill now but like the others I would grow the sweet peas on after with runner beans in a large tub or planted out together as they make good companions. If the snow has gone in your part of the world you could sow peas outdoors now under a little protection (cloche or polythene), use an early variety, I did this a couple of years ago & it worked.

[JennieAtkinson]

Thanks SR and Lesley - I will follow your advice. I think I must have had too many canes in the ground!