Hello - advice on peas

[coffeegirl]

Hi everyone

I am a keen gardener but don't have brilliant conditions. We have medium clay soil and no access to manure. So some of my stuff is container gardening and the other has been sown direct into the soil. The soil is better than I thought. There was a lot of weeds growing before hand which I did remove and cultivate. I always pre germinate my seeds and with some plants I grow in pots before transplanting. I did that with courgettes and cucumbers and they seem alright. Sweetcorn is also beginning to show and the peas have burst to life on the soil. Looks amazing.

However,

I loveee my peas and this year I went overboard on pea plants and have put good structures up for them as well. I am growing 3 varieties. Hurstgreenshaft, alderman, and pea waverx.

I started planting out around March and put in some more batches yesterday. I am going to control myself and not plant anymore. BUT

I am also due to go out of country on 23rd July until September and I am very upset that I might actually miss the harvest of my peas. Can anyone advise me on whether this will be the case or not as I would like to prepare myself.

[Thelma Sanders]

My mid-March sowings can usually be picked in June, so I would think the April ones will be ready before you go, fingers crossed - but don't put any more in

[cariann88]

Hello and welcome

[coffeegirl]

Hello and welcome

Fingers crossed Carrie . Thank you

[Penellype]

You could always try to hurry them along a bit with cloches or some other cover - I use a piece of rigid plastic propped up against the support net and anchored with bamboo canes:



I've no evidence that this makes them mature any faster, but I don't see why it shouldn't.

[Potstubsdustbins]

^^^^^^^^Do a very similar thing myself, if nothing else it gives some protection from the wind.

[AlanP]

Not to worry coffeegirl, all is not lost, if you miss harvesting the last sowing, you will come back to your own saved seed ready for next year.

Alan

[coffeegirl]

y

Not to worry coffeegirl, all is not lost, if you miss harvesting the last sowing, you will come back to your own saved seed ready for next year.

Alan

That's very true

Just an update . The peas are doing very well and should be ready before we go by the looks of it Fingers crossed

[SkyChild]

Fingers crossed indeed

Maybe pinch out tops and side-stems to encourage their energies into producing veg instead of leafy growth?

On another note - clay soil is usually nutrient-rich so it's ok if you can't get manure. The drainage can sometimes be a problem so I'd add a little sand in patches that seem wet if you can.

Whereabouts are you? (That can affect how quickly your plants grow generally - my peas will be far behind others further south)

[coffeegirl]

t

Fingers crossed indeed

Maybe pinch out tops and side-stems to encourage their energies into producing veg instead of leafy growth?

On another note - clay soil is usually nutrient-rich so it's ok if you can't get manure. The drainage can sometimes be a problem so I'd add a little sand in patches that seem wet if you can.

Whereabouts are you? (That can affect how quickly your plants grow generally - my peas will be far behind others further south)

Hello

I will try that except I get scared I'm pinching out the wrong things haha, I will try when the plants are a bit bigger. I am in South West - Gloucestershire. Weather is alright however we have had 2 un expected frosts last 2 days.