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Posted by wood4candles (U14173151) on Friday, 4th June 2010
Any ideas anyone?
I am struggling to get any peas coming up on the allotment. All around me other peoples plants are thriving, but mine don't seem to come up. I plant 50 and get 3 or 4. I've tried them in the ground, in lengths of guttering, in trays and all with limited success. Surely all the mice can't just be on my plot? I grew them OK last year.
Have you had a scrape around in the non-germinating seed beds to see whether the pea seeds have disappeared or rotted?
Soak how many peas you want to plant overnight in a jar of water. Plant them in a seed tray leave outside covered in netting.
Whilst they grow, prepare your netting, if dwarf or canes if tall.
When a decent height carefully pull apart and plant.
Surround plants with a barrier to prevent pigeons eating. Remove barrier when plants are bigger.
Start next lot off.
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by Playingtimeaddedon (U14150224) on Saturday, 5th June 2010
Apologies for my late response.
I tried yesterday evening, but for some reason I was not able to get it accepted.
I suggest you use an old ice cream tub. Put three layers of kitchen towel in the bottom and make it wet.
Place your peas on the damp towel and then put another piece of towel on top.
Replace the lid and wait for 5 - 7 days.
Sow all of the peas that have shoots and discard those that have not.
Sow them two inches deep.
Mice do not eat peas once they have started to grow, but once they 'break surface' there will be slugs and snail ready to have a feast!
Good Luck.
(By the way, I use the same method for runner beans and also parnips.)
Thanks for the helpful hints folks.
I'll try again. It seems that the seeds disappear, so I picture the mice sat waiting for me to plant more, all wearing napkins and licking their lips!
I'll try soaking them as suggested and grow them in protected trays before transplanting.
Incidentally, I read or heard somewhere that soaking them in parafin is another old tip. Does that work and does it not harm the plants?
i always soak mine in parafin and dont have any problem.
I have sunk litre pop bottles with the base and cut off over the peas I've planted. As long as they have been placed securely (a good couple of centimentres into the soil) it seems to have deterred the pests ( pigeons, blackbirds, mice...) I leave the bottle on until the plants reach nearly the top and then remove - it has kept those pesky little beetles that cut into the leaf edges away as well to give them a chance to strengthen up. I've had good sucess this way and only had to replant a couple in the row.
You could also try putting holly or some other prickly twigs (gorse? mahonia?) in the planting trench/holes to deter the mice from digging them up.
ive also been struggling to get them to grow this year, i sowed more, then this morning found them scattered what was left, soo ive sown some in pots in the greenhouse, will plant out when germinate, but think i'' put plastic bottle around them as suggested
dd
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