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Sweet dreams are made of PEAS! Everybody loves peas with their sweet, crunchy juiciness. They really are ap-PEA-ling!
In this week’s episode Ben demonstrates all things pea from clever ways to sow them to how to support them, no matter what size your garden. There’s something for everyone in our Pea Growing Masterclass. With these tips and expert tricks you’re on track to getting it right every time.
49 Comments
I’ve grown peas for many years and never knew you could start them indoors and transplant them successfully. I live in a very cold climate so this is super useful information. Thanks!
Every time I try to grow peas I fail. I will try again with your tips!
Pea pod and mint soup is delicious! It’s sooo good chilled, too. I pressure can it using the Ball split pea soup recipe (timing) without the pork. But still use the longer processing time given the density. Works a treat!!! I add half a zinc tablet to keep the brightness (like with the green beans which we don’t like canned). 👍🏻
The planner is good but the most annoying feature is it only counts by the month. So if i want to take something out mid June and replace it there is a plant overlap until that point.
Carlin pea varieties are delicious, treat like chick peas.
I have a long growing season and I am attempting a late summer crop of peas to harvest in late fall. I've done it once before with success. I think the chill in the evenings brings out the sweetness. This year I'm starting them in toilet paper tubes so I can start them in the air conditioned house and transplant them out once the squash are cleared out of the garden because they're certain to have powdery mildew. Thanks for listening the varieties with resistance!
My Dad used to make pea pod wine.
Is it too late to sow peas? We've just moved and have our first garden but I wasn't sure if I should wait until next year. I planted courgettes and they are coming on nicely but I'm kicking myself that I didn't think of peas! I would want to do something like sugar snap rather than a shelling type. Thank you for your excellent advice!
This is my first time growing sugar snap peas and they seem to be growing really well in a raised bed.
Up in Inverness.
Managed to overwinter some kelvedon wonders without protection. Planted in November and have been producing really well so far.
Had more joy buying tesco dried pinto and turtle beans for germination rather than expensive french bean seeds. Commercial seeds have all rotted but cheap food beans grew in less than a week . No explanation.
Just love a sugar snap pea👌 another great video Ben
I just realised that i could have planted way more than 5 in my raised bed.
Rabbits were my problem this year. They chomped the tops off my Sugar Anna snap pea shoots but didn't bother the more vigorous growing purple pod (can't remember the variety) shoots.
i love peas when they dont require me doing any dishes
I have failed at peas over and over again. I think it’s just too warm where I live.
Growing Alderman this year in a new location, past few years in the previous location have not gone well… I think it's pea moth, not sure but the plants seem to get eaten over night.
Will see how it goes, have moved my focus to French beans which seem far more reliable even in UK climate.
My mom used to make peas with new potatoes in a cream sauce. Yum!!! I have snow peas and Oregon snap peas 🫛 in raised beds. They are just now starting to bloom. I can't wait to eat some!
I grow snow peas 🫛 😊 they are the easiest crop for me to grow and go great in my stir fries
Damn, those look good. I bet you can really taste the pea-ness!
I'm giving them a go the spring myself ☺️
As always Ben, Thank you for your wealth of knowledge. It sure helps, as I am working through my Master Gardener’s Course, for my certification, and I have found your knowledge very rewarding. Thank you So Much!!
Excellent video. Thanks
I got a question, sir. I have a 37 x 30 garden and these black starling birds are snipping my plants off. My plants are 6 inches tall. What can I do to solve this problem thank you.
First time I spotted a Monarch butterfly chrysalis I was looking for ripe peas.
Love love love peas. At my house peas rarely make it out of the garden. I call them garden candy.
I've been a tad lazy this year with my pea's only got some Dragon's tongue growing along with my strawberries atm! I did enjoy growing Christmas Lima beans last year though!
Pea growing is really fascinating. Following Ben’s advice will make it even more fascinating. The video has touched lots of hints about peas growing. I will definitely follow these tips and hope to have a good harvest.
i enjoy peas when people leave me alone
I can't seem to get any to germinate. I've gone though 2 whole pack of seeds
The outer pods of shelling peas are still yummy, but they are quite fibrous so they need a lot of chewing! I used to go nuts on the shells as mum was preparing our garden peas for dinner when I was a kid. They're tasty but not as sweet as the peas inside. Definitely worth trying if you don't mind chewing for a while 😅
This the first year I've tried growing peas and it's going well enough. I selected Keledon Wonder and the plants are festooned with flowers right now.
We eat frozen peas, in the saucepan we start it on high, no water and as soon as they start to sizzle, down to lowest temp cover up and allow to steam-cook. Just salt and butter and that's it. We wish the flavour, no mint nor sweetness and definitely no carrots. Thanks Ben for the good advice re the pea growing, I usually grow mange tout as well as 'some' peas. Enjoy, live happily, take care. Kind regards.
I would not recommend using 'Blauwschokkers' as sugar snap, there not edible that way. The inner layer of the pod is very sturdy, and even boiled, we humans can't chew through it.
(A few Blauwschokkers turn out green podded, and I accidentally threw those in with the sugar snaps… The unchewable surprise at the dinner table was not very pleasant!)
Don’t overcrowd the peas… just don’t. I did it. It’s literally fallen over from its own weight. Never again.
Tom Thump pea is a great variety for small gardens, they’re tiny! And pretty dang productive. Pretty fast, as well.
Picking and shelling peas is the most laborious job ever, how you think it's 'a real treat' is beyond me.
You've got to go out every few days and pick off the ones which are just right, leave them too long and they're not good.
Titchmarsh wrote that growing peas is a waste of time and money as you get them better and cheaper in the Supermarket, he had a good point. If you don't believe it then perform a blind taste test on some.
They do freeze well though to get you through Winter, unlike a lot of veg.
I wonder why no-one has developed a stringless mangetout/Sugarsnap yet? That would be a best seller.
Don't forget you can start them off in late Summer/Autumn if you have room in a polytunnel, they're Winter hardy in there for a Spring crop. Just pulling mine out now after that.
For growing them up get a length of horse or stock fencing tied to some supports for shorter varieties, for taller ones then a Heras fencing panel is best and only £15 ea new. Much more efficient than dicking around with sticks.
Green pea soup. Finely chopped onion cooked gently in some butter or margarine (for the non-butter users), add chicken stock (1l), (veg if you don’t eat meat), boil your peas (500g or so and frozen are best). Take out some of the peas and blitz the rest. Add the whole peas back, season to taste and serve with a dollop of sour cream and some crusty bread. Add mint during cooking if you like. Vary the pea/stock ratio to suit your taste. Simple and delicious. Using frozen peas means you can make this in colder weather too 😊
Speaking of “Privilege” it’s a Privilege to absorb Ben’s wisdom and enthusiasm. When I need motivation, I seek out Ben! 🧑🌾🪴
My peas are 90% rabbit food as one got in the veg garden 🤦♀️, .luckily I have a few in pots off the ground. Have a super week Ben, Ali 🌞🇨🇦
Do i need to acclimitise peas?
You have a fabulous sense of humor! Been binging your videos and laughing at your goofiness 😆🫶 Thank you for being our teacher!
Peas in my shepherds pie, curry, or straight with butter. Love peas.
I feel like finding your channel has been a godsend for me. At 38, I feel like I'm going through something like a midlife crisis, but instead of buying an overpriced sports car or motorcycle, I'm trying to grow a lemon tree, chili peppers, and trying to turn an old garbage can into a compost bin. 😂
I live in Japan and I think our planting zone is 8? I'm still very new at any of this and feel like I'm making mistakes all the time. Love your channel!
I planted my peas entirely too heavy/close, and they grew sooo much (too much nitrogen) , it's a bundle mess right now, all tangled together, and about impossible to pick 😂😂😂 I've learned a valuable lesson, more is not always better !
I tried fresh peas in my freshly picked salad this week, I was pleasantly surprised how much flavor those little peas 🫛 have.
My dog used to shell them and eat the peas, like me!
I grow peas as sweets, i eat them as soon as they are ready😊
BEst taste : the ambassadors
I sowed out of date peas,instead of throwing them.
Some were pale green, some were nearly white….
They all came ou!
Now, i m checking if they will bear properly pods…
Can I buy a printed version of your book anywhere please, Ben? Thanks
Nice recipe ❤❤