Pea

Growing Guide

Direct sow outdoors: 5cm deep in flat-bottomed drills spaced 5cm, and in rows 80cm apart. For regular harvest sow sucessionally, every 10 day or so during the sowing period. For maincrops sow seeds March to June, and fo early varieis sow the October to November, and also March to June.

 If the weather is unseasonably cold, start your maincrop peas off in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill, and transfer your seedlings into the garden when temperatures rise.

Improve your soil by digging in well rotted manure or compost. Prepare the soil by raking until it is fine and crumbly, removing any large stones. Water the drill before sowing to stimulate germination.

When plants are 10cm tall provide twiggy sticks for support. Peas can be protected with netting if pigeons are a problem.

TOP TIPS

Maincrop peas will be ready to harvest around 11-15 weeks from sowing date, and regular picking will encourage further cropping. Shelling varieties are ready to pick once the pods are swollen with peas. Mangetouts are best picked while the young pods are still completely flat while Sugar Snaps should be harvested when the pods are semi-mature and just beginning to swell.

When growing peas, regular and thorough watering especially when in flower will improve crop yields.