Can peas be planted out yet?

[Bal]

Hi have just been looking at the 2016 calendar and noticed peeps have planted out thier peas. I thought you had to wait till the frost was gone, mine are being mollycoddled in a heated greenhouse. Should I plant them out after hardening off. We've had rain snow and hail today.

[muddled]

peas can be pretty tough...some varieties more than others.
Peas de provence for example, can be sown outside in November and trundle through winter to give an early crop...they aren't the sweetest of peas though.

I probably wouldn't try to harden off peas that have been so lovingly tended during this particularly cold spell. I reckon the shock might do them in! But certainly when we get a calmer few days, harden them off and get them out! There are better ways to use that lovely heated greenhouse!

[Guest]

As a rule of thumb - round seeded varieties rather than wrinkled are toughies and should be fine outside

[Tomatoe]

Mine will be going out tonight come rain or hail, currently soaking in water to spur them on

[Potstubsdustbins]

I started to plant my peas out the other day and got snowed off. What was planted stayed there and despite two frosty nights are doing OK

[Thelma Sanders]

I sowed mine outside, under poly sheeting, 11 days ago. Only about half have germinated, so guess it's still a bit too cold for them. The few I sowed in the Norfolk greenhouse are romping away

[Scoot]

I'll be waiting until next month before i sow mine.

[Potstubsdustbins]

That would be Sunday then...................

[1Bee]

Can I start peas off in modules? And don't mention guttering, I don't have any.

I think the soil is going to be too cold.

[Bal]

I've sown mine in toilet roll tubes and som of those root trainers.i think they like a deep pot as they have a long tap root. You could sow them in a 9 cm pot. Put 4 to each pot and plant out as they are.

[Penellype]

What I do is use the 9cm square pots and plant 5 seeds in each, one in each corner and one in the middle. I put them under grow lights until they are about 4 inches high and then harden them off in the growhouse or cold frame for about a week before planting out. I start with round seeded varieties such as Meteor, sown at the start of February. These are now starting to produce their first flowers. I then sow again when the previous lot are about ready to plant out, so I've already planted out a row of Douce Provence and a row of Hurst Greenshaft, and I have another row of Hurst Greenshaft under lights and nearly ready to go out:



I find the advantage of doing things this way is that you protect the seeds from mice and the seedlings from slugs. You also give them a good start in life by allowing them to germinate in the warmth. I've never had problems with them suffering from cold when grown this way.

I grow 10 pots at a time to give about 1m of row, which gives me enough peas without having too much of a glut all at once.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I chit them first following 2Sheds advice, then 1 per 3" pot to grow them on and prove viability, then to the final container.

[Containergardener]

I do the same as penellype into pots same size ,always done it that way and works. They sit on a house windowsill until I can either get them in greenhouse or outside.
I havnt tried sowing some after these are ready , I like that idea, so I think il give that a try this yr.

[sparrow100]

The slugs had all my Meteor.

I planted out some purple podded peas and magnolia blossom tendril peas yesterday, so far they look fine, but they had been hardening off on my balcony all week so I think they are reasonably tough.

[Jungle Jane]

I haven't planted mine out yet,they're hardening off in the open air/wind,I've been doing this for a few days & put them in the blow away at night,whereas before they were permanently on the windowsill till about an inch tall,they're a tiny bit bigger now but quite tender from being inside. I've got mine in some of those coir pots,my dad gave me some a couple of years ago & I haven't known what to do with them so tried peas in them last year & they were good. I've ran out now but I'm not spending money on them,my other peas can be sowed direct.