For peas and mangetout, choose an open spot where peas haven’t been grown for 2 seasons. Apply a light dressing of Growmore fish blood and bone 7-10 days before sowing.
Sowing time
Mid-March onwards.
Crop care
Protect your seed rows from birds with netting or lines of black cotton before the seeds germinate. Hoe regularly and water during dry spells. When seedlings are 3” high, insert twiggy branches to provide support for the stems (it’s important not to delay doing this, or slug damage may occur). Medium and tall varieties will need the extra support of a screen of netting next to each row.
Harvesting
A pod is ready for picking when it is well filled, but while there is still air space. Harvest peas from the bottom of the stem working upwards. After harvesting, cut off the stems at soil level, and leave the roots in the ground to release nitrogen into the soil – great for your next crop from this patch!
