to pea/broad bean or not to pea/broad bean

[BroadRipple]

So I need yr collective wisdom yet again...tiny tiny patch, some pots...is there any point trying to grow peas and b/beans yet again, when I never seem to get much of a crop of either, or shall I just abandon hope and stick to my beloved climbing french beans? Am inclined to think I shd give up, and spend my time on everything else, but it's hard to resist when everyone goes on and on about oh the delicious taste of fresh peas, oh the joy of broad beans etc etc....

[snakeshack]

best use of space for peas is a good climber like Alderman or collosal climbing peas from victoriana,they grow 10 ft high like runners and crop over a longer period too

[singleseeder]

Grow some in large pots or old compost sacks?

[donnakebab]

For a small space I would try a few (say 4 plants) up a wigwam of sticks, Or a dwarf variety. Either in the ground or in a large pot/container.

[Thelma Sanders]

Peas are planted much closer together (about 2 or 3 inches) than BB, or climbing beans, so if you've got a big tub I'd grow some tall peas in a double row around the outside, and tie them up to a wigwam, or strings tied to a fence. (you have to tie tall peas up, they don't climb like beans)

[Potstubsdustbins]

Don't know about broadies as I don't grow them but I can't resist the chance to walk outside and pick a few fresh peas. Apart from that SWMBO wouldn't give me any peace at all if I didn't produce some peas for her, I actually am supposed to ask if I want any.

I use two wood boxes which are already 3ft off the ground so can't go for a tall vareity. I therefore grow Kelverton Wonder, so that I can get two crops per season. Each box is 900mm long x 600mm wide and by cramping them in I get 65 plants per box which gives a reasonable crop.

Colin

[Newton]

What do you climb them up Colin?

[BroadRipple]

sooooo...sounds like peas do work if they're a tall kind (thank you Thelma v helpful) but the broad bean jury is still deliberating...any other thoughts? thank you legumophiles

[Potstubsdustbins]

What do you climb them up Colin?

Because the boxes were purpose made they have wooden timbers at each corner which I then string.

Colin

[Loudbarker1]

I don't think you need all that much space for broad beans. I grow one section of about 2 sq metre sown in autumn (aqudulce claudia or similar) and then sow another 2 sq metre in March (last year Imperial Green Long Pod, but have grown the sutton and left over aqudulce) and that has given us beans once a week or so over a six week period while we wait for dwarf french beans to arrrive.

The same area of dwarf french sown in 3 successions gives us as many as we want to eat until September, but not enough to freeze. That leaves one small metre sq for peas just for fun. This year I am trying a climber for the first time: I'll be trying Telephone and Champion of England.

[jdlondon]

I use two wood boxes which are already 3ft off the ground so can't go for a tall vareity. I therefore grow Kelverton Wonder, so that I can get two crops per season. Each box is 900mm long x 600mm wide and by cramping them in I get 65 plants per box which gives a reasonable crop.

Colin

65 plants each! And that picture of yours shows it's not too deep either, about 35 cm soil depth?

That's fantastic, Colin, gives me hope for my balcony peas. Unless marrowfat peas have different needs, of course. And off I go to read up, again! It never seems to end, this educamating bizness. *g*

[Two_Sheds]

Broad beans don't give a huge crop (mine are always dwarf, we're so windswept here) but they do crop before the runners & Frenchies come along.
I'm picking BBs in May/June, and plant my runners/Frenchies amongst them. When the BBs are over, I chop them off for the compost heap* and allow the others to grow on.


* leaving some to dry, for next year's seed

[Potstubsdustbins]

Slight mistake have just been out to measure the boxes accurately they are 1000mm long x 600mm wide by 300mm deep (exterior measurements). I plant 4 rows of peas with the peas spaced at about 50mm. With this density you have to keep on top of the watering during dry, hot spells and you will have to use some form of feed during the plants growth.

Oh and the rows are staggered so from above the planting looks like a double 9 domino.

Hope this helps Colin