May Queen Pea

£2.60

34 in stock

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This tasty and productive pea grows fairly tall – around 1.5 m and so will need strong support to grow well. It is a particularly early round seeded variety and can be sown from early March until mid May. The pretty white flowers with green veining will grow into pods full of sweet tasty peas.

These peas can be sown direct outdoors in rows about 2-3cm deep however I have trouble with voles and mice in my garden so start my peas in old guttering so I can hang them from the greenhouse struts and they won’t be eaten. Seeds sown about 6 cm apart in the guttering and then covered. Place a pot at either end to stop the compost falling out. I use peat free compost with about a third added Pearlite to open up the compost. When germinated, grown on and harden off, then firmly knock the guttering lengthways to release the roots and the whole strip of peas can be slid out into a small trench in the garden.

Approx. 70 seeds per pack.

Botanical name: Pisum sativum

Grown by: Maggie Carr

Sow from early March to mid-May in the garden, 2-3 cm deep. Can also be sown as a catch crop in early August.

In terms of sowing, peas come in two main types, smooth and wrinkled (this refers to the shape of the dried pea, so it’s quite easy to tell the difference). Smooth types are hardier, so are better if you want to do a really early sowing. Wrinkled tend to be sweeter, but you’ll need to wait till the weather gets a bit warmer before you sow, or they’ll probably just rot. Peas can also vary in height, from around 18” to nearly 8ft tall!

For wrinkled types, sow them in modules in early spring with some seed compost and if there are mice around, cover them up before they germinate, as rodents love the seeds. Harden off the young seedlings, then plant them out about 3” apart when they’re about 6” tall.

You can sow them outdoors instead if you like, but you’ll need to wait until the soil warms up, and it’s not too wet, or the seed won’t germinate and will rot. There’s also a high risk of rodents eating them, so if you’re able too, sowing indoors is probably going to be more successful. Either way, dig in plenty of organic matter initially, and water regularly throughout the season.

Tall peas will need support, such as pea netting, chicken wire or canes to scramble up, and make sure it’s sturdy, as they can get quite heavy towards the middle of the season – they may even need tying in if they get a bit unruly. For shorter varieties, but just some twiggy sticks should be fine.

For an ongoing crop throughout the season, you can sow successionally, but if you pick the pods regularly the plants will keep producing.