Pea Plants

Hardy pea varieties are perfect for sowing in the autumn for an early crop, others are perfect for containers and some will even withstand a light frost. Varieties also stretch to semi-leafless for easy picking and mildew-resistant plants. All, however, have a wonderfully sweet taste when freshly picked and the mangetouts make for an excellent stir fry ingredient.

The advantage of planting young pea plants is they will arrive guaranteed organic and with a strong root system. This means you can plant them with undisturbed roots and make for quicker establishment – something vital for legumes. We always recommend soaking the roots before planting. Plant them into well composted ground and stagger them around supports such as pea netting. Add the support when tendrils appear at the 6-8 leaf stage, allowing them to ramble up the nets with ease! For a good crop, apply some comfrey feed, little and often, and take care to ensure the soil doesn’t dry out, particularly when they are flowering and the pods are starting to set. A mulch or organic material will help with this.