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Tall peas

I thought this might be of general interest
Subject Peas

We tried short peas years ago and in a good year we got a few more than we sowed, in a bad year we didn't. One trouble was the direct sowing method, the mice took so many that there were not enough left to fill the row. I tried cutting up
 gorse to prick their sensitive noses, also the paraffin treatment, but I think that impaired germination. About then the AP Propopaks appeared on the gardening scene. Also I reasoned that the peas would be easier to pick if trained up ne
ts, and that if you went for tall ones this might stretch the season forfresh pickings, it certainly gave more plant to grow the peas on.
Our method now is to raise the seed in the x40 trays, sometimes we sow 1 seed per module, sometimes 2, keep them coolish in the greenhouse and plant out when ready. The nets are put on a net frame similar to a long bean row. We use 8ft. c
anes along the row with pairs of canes supporting  overlaps in the horizontals, and extra uprights at the ends to tension the 6ft. nets, also where nets join. An old cane is threaded through the bottom of the net and held down with wire t
ent pegs, I now make my own. The pea modules are planted in a single row each side along the net at the uprightd which are 6" spacing. 
The varieties we grow are all at least 3'6" tall, currently Gradus, Alderman,Purple podded (no longer on the market, but I save my own), Miracle, Achievement and Sugar Snap (mangetout). We discontinued Senator as inferior cropper.
We used to grow as early as possible and harvested and cleared by the third week in July so as to plant the sprouts etc and then snatch a holiday with the children, but at the moment we don't get a holiday and the  clay soil has been so w
et recently that early planting has been impossible.
Most of the crop are frozen, and kept for visitors, and the 'hungry gap".

That's it on peas, a heavy commitment but the results justify it and they taste better than the shop ones.
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Allan Day  Allan@crwys.demon.co.uk
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