Peas - in ground?

[MrsDaffy]

How long do you leave them on the damp paper and are they covered?

I put them in a takeaway plastic tub with damp paper towel on top and underneath and put on plastic lid. Only took 2 days to sprout.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Personally, I've seen better success when I've started peas and beans off in modules. Given how everything was in containers, that worked well. This year, what with mostly clay on the lotment, I'm starting off in modules so they don't struggle; the broadbean aqua dulce did when sown directly. Will probably then transfer in the middle of march to outside. The current cohort have been in the 4TB a week, and starting to come through.

[Alison]

I start my earlies off in guttering but usually sow later ones direct. Root trainers and pots are too faffy in comparison as you can just slide the whole lot out (well in decent length sections anyway) in one go so it only takes seconds and I'm always short of time. Added to which I sow a lot of peas (50 odd every couple of weeks) and I really don't have that many root trainers, currently have 5 lots of guttering with peas and 2 with mange tout, each just over a foot long. Also, guttering uses far less compost per pea than pots. Don't have a mouse problem so my sowing is more to get an early start, could probably sow direct in the tunnel now but the ones I'll be planting out at the weekend are already nice and healthy from being germinated in the conservatory and moved to the cold greenhouse a couple of weeks ago. Never really got on with chitting them, seems like an extra activity to me if you're going to then put them in pots and you need to plant them out reasonably quickly after germination and all too often I get side tracked and lose a week

[piskieinboots]

Silly guttering question alert....

I'm visualising all these bits of guttering but how the heck do you stop them front rolling over...I said it was a silly question!

[Alison]

I wedge mine into trays, 2 pieces wide. Got the idea from these (Rowplanters - Gutter Planting) but mine are homemade versions. Works well for me and easy to transport.

[Maccabee]

I sow them indoors in loo rolls and plant out when they're big enough to fend off the slugs.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Last year I followed 2Sheds advice. Chitted in a plastic box with lid, soaked overnight for the first night and then washed them of everyday to prevent mould. It worked so well I won't bother doing it any other way now.

This years first sowing were chitted last week and put into 3" pots in the cold GH on Sat. I will do it again later in the summer to ensure two crops.

Colin

[solway cropper]

All my early sowings are direct into big tubs of compost in the greenhouse and the first lot are already poking their heads up. When the weather warms up I sow in small blocks directly into the soil every few weeks. This ensures that we have a continuous supply of fresh peas through the summer.

[Farmer_Gyles]

i normally start mine in cell trays, plant out when they're about 2 inches high .... always works well ..... got 96 Twinkle in the cells at the moment ....
i sowed direct last year, failed miserably ....
i've got a length of guttering for the next lot of peas ....

[VirginVegGrower]

Silly guttering question alert....

I'm visualising all these bits of guttering but how the heck do you stop them front rolling over...I said it was a silly question!

I duct tape the ends and I use flat bottomed guttering (ogee profile or something), which was left over from when we had it all done on the house. Prior to that though I had a go with some curved guttering, given to me by neighbour and once filled with compost it balanced fine. You could stick it down onto your staging and onto a board for transportation. It just slides straight into your trench for ease at the lottie. I've never had a gap/germination failure yet, so no faff re: chitting needed for me.

[Potstubsdustbins]

If you are going to use guttering and are worried about it falling over get something called 'square line' its got a flat bottom and will sit nicely on your bench.

Colin

[Thelma Sanders]

I always sow full rows direct, but also sow a seedtrayful in the greenhouse or garden, to fill any gaps

[veggiechicken]

If you are going to use guttering and are worried about it falling over get something called 'square line' its got a flat bottom and will sit nicely on your bench.

Colin

I didn't say a word!

[Potstubsdustbins]

VC as soon as I saw you had posted my heart sank, I suddenly realise what I had put. I had tears in my eyes even before I read your post.

Colin

[veggiechicken]

I didn't mean to make you cry, Potty - Sorry!!!