Friday 10 February 2012

Yes Peas

The variety of pea I've chosen to grow this year is Hurst Green Shaft. I grew this variety last year and was very pleased with them, they grew well and tasted delicious. Last year was the first year that I've sown direct, and I was pleased with how well they germinated and grew so I shall do the same again this year, though I may make an early sowing in pots to be transplanted. I'd like to grow more peas this year than I usually do. I did manage to freeze some last year but they didn't last long so I'm hoping to get a bigger harvest this year. With this in mind, I sent off for the Yes Peas! recipe booklet. It contains twenty one different pea recipes, and some of those are vegetarian so there's something for everyone, providing you like peas. I quite fancy Peas and Goat's Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms and Spicy Beef and Pea Patties, but there's plenty more in the booklet to get the taste buds tingling. If you'd like a copy of the Yes Peas! recipe booklet for yourself, it can be ordered from the Yes Peas! website. There's also other recipes on the website as well as lots of information.

The onions which I started from seed aren't doing so well. They're very straggly because I left them on the windowsill after germination, whereas I should have really moved them to the unheated conservatory or porch. It's just too warm for them where they are, and this is encouraging weak growth. I think I shall start over and sow some more this weekend while it's still early enough.

We had more snow fall last night, though not as much as last weekend. The problem now is that the original snow hadn't melted, so we're walking on fresh snow on top of compacted, frozen snow which makes it extremely slippy. I took Archie for a walk this morning and nearly went flying, I don't know how I managed to stay upright. It's very cold today but there's no more snow forecast, so that's good.

20 comments:

  1. Maybe the seedlings suffered from lack of light.

    We didn't do too well with peas last year it was so dry and we couldn't keep up with watering. I sowed some late autumn to see whether they would over winter. Don't know what will have happened after the freezing conditions though

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  2. i grew that Variety last year and was a little dissapointed with it. I had a goodish crop but it suffered really bad with mildew. I havent decided on my pea for this year yet. my onions didnt do so well either but mine was dowm to my daughters intervention! hope you have great sucsess with your peas this year.
    i will also be grabbing my copy of yes peas.

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  3. I haven't yet grown peas as I can't be bothered to faff around with netting!
    It snowed again here and I've just come back from the plot which looks like it did on Sunday! Flighty xx

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  4. My seen sown onions haven't done brilliantly either, about half of them 'damped off', so I'm going to have to sow some more. If they don't work I'll resort to sets again. Good luck with your peas, I'm not going to bother this year, I find them too much trouble. I'm doing more french beans instead.

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  5. Lovely, always too dry here to grow a decent crop but I like to grow some too.

    A little while ago I made a leek and pea tart which was delicious (http://www.nationalbakingweek.co.uk/recipe/pea-and-leek-tart)

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  6. Every year I say I'm not going to bother with peas again but I always do as I love to see them growing - even though you don't get much from the space they take up. I use canes and string rather than netting but then there is the problem with the pea shoots getting nipped off by little critters.

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  7. I can never make my mind up whether to sow direct or in pots. Probably best to cover both options. We can never grow enough peas.

    No more snow here last night but still freezing cold. Wonder what's happened down on the plot after all this freezing weather?

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  8. I haven't tried peas before only sugar snaps but they were so tasty I thought I'd try other varieties. Only had rain last night but it has started snowing now. I caught an icy patch on my path this morning and nearly went over. Roll on spring is all I can say!!!

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  9. Just ordered my book!

    We love peas, always looking for more things to do than to just boil them!

    Martin

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  10. I have observed that it is not really possible to grow "enough" peas in a small domestic garden! They are so good that you always want more.
    Mine didn't do very well last year - I had a lot of problems with mildew - and I nearly decided not to grow any this time. In the end I decided to try some completely different varieties, including purple-podded ones. Hopefully this year will be better.

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  11. I'm with Mark and Welly - grew sugar snaps last year which did relatively well and have purple podded on my list for this year. Can't wait! I rather like wandering round the veg patch on a summer's eve snapping off the pods and eating the peas fresh. Yum! Careful as you go on the snow; hope it thaws for you soon.

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  12. I saw a few cars in hedges yesterday having spun off the road and today there seemed to be an awful lot of people with a plaster cast on. I think it's best to stay in, sort through seeds and think of the warmer weather to come.
    Love from Mum
    xx

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  13. I think that the taste of fresh peas is hard to beat Jo. I am determined to do more direct sowing at the allotment this year and may do this with the peas. I will send off for the recipe leaflet - like the idea of those stuffed mushroms :) Take care when you are out and about.

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  14. Dear Jo, Do you ever grow snowpeas? I am more successful with them than with regular peas and they are great in stir fries. P. x

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  15. It may be due to lack of light, Sue. I'll sow some more anyway and see if they do any better. It was a funny year for many things last year. Hope you have better luck this year.

    It was very dry last year, Stacy, which will probably have increased the cases of mildew. Hope your peas do better for you this year.

    There's alot to be said for growing those veg which don't need too much care, Flighty. We've still got bits of snow around but alot of it has now melted, thank goodness.

    It looks like we're both in the same boat with our onions, Rachael. We've still got plenty of time left to resow though. I'm growing more French beans too, I'm going to give runner beans a miss this year.

    The leek and pea tart sounds delicious, Dawn, though probably not a good idea for my diet with the double and single cream in it.

    Peas are such a treat, Elaine, especially those eaten straight from the pod after they've been picked. Worth growing just for that.

    I shall start my early peas off in pots, Martyn, but subsequent sowings will be direct, I hope that'll work. Hubby went and had a look at the plot yesterday but everything was frozen solid, he couldn't even get any leeks out, never mind parsnips.

    I grew mangetout for the first time last year, Wellywoman. I'm going to grow them again this year as they were delicious, I like all types of pea. The snow has started to clear here now, I'm certainly looking forward to spring.

    You should get plenty of recipe ideas from the booklet, Martin. I hope you find something that you enjoy.

    I think the dry weather had alot to do with the mildew last year, Mark. It's definitely worth growing peas, even if you only have room for a few, eating straight from the pod is a treat in itself. The purple podded variety should give you some pretty flowers too.

    I agree, peas straight from the pod is an experience all on it's own, Caro. The snow has started to thaw now and there's no more forecast for the time being, thank goodness.

    I agree that it's best to stay indoors in that kind of weather, Mum. I can imagine that the hospitals were full of people with broken bones, it's been so slippy underfoot.

    I had stuffed mushrooms for tea last night, Anna, though not with peas. I may try that recipe sometime though. Sowing direct must save alot of time, I may try it with other things other than peas this year.

    I grew mangetout, which I think are the same as snowpeas, last year, Pam. They were delicious and I'm definitely going to grow them again this year.

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  16. The pea recipes certainly sound interesting Jo...I never get any peas frozen...I find it hard to even get them home..lol. You grow the same variety as me...and I am amazed that I knew what I grew!!

    Snow going here and I'm glad yours is too...I really don't like the feeling of ice underfoot!!

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  17. That is some weather you're getting! No snow in NI. The pea recipe book has a fab cover; I never really thought of peas other than straight peas as a side dish or maybe pea soup. I haven't grown peas but I'm quite inspired now to think about it.

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  18. I've not been walking the dog for that very reason, had to be extra careful out with my sore back. I could cry...all my peas at the allotment were totally demolished by birds so I netted them, they grew back really well and then something else got them...big enough to break through the chicken wire and netting. This year a lot of my gardening will involve building heavy defences.

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  19. found your blog via the log cabin but will be back for sure as need all the veg growing advice I can find! Thank you

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  20. It is tempting to eat all the peas straight from the pod, Tanya. I remember going pea picking when I was young, I think I ate more than went in to sacks.

    The weather has settled down again here, Kelli, all the snow has gone at last. I don't usually do much with peas either, I'm hoping that I get some inspiration from the booklet.

    Hope your back is much better now, Lorna. It's heartbreaking when your crops are totally devestated like that, I always net my peas with quite a fine mesh, it prevents me from opening pods with grubs inside too.

    Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a comment, Grace. I shall pop over and check your's out shortly.

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