Thankfully, they only do minimal damage, so not much to worry about. If the peas are growing away nicely and you spot u shaped notches around the edges of the leaves, that’ll be the pea and bean weevil. Slugs and snails will also go for the young plants, so again starting them off indoors should avoid this problem. Once your peas are through the ground, pigeons will seize their chance, so pre-empting their emergence with twiggy pea sticks or netting should make it a less comfortable prospect. When planting outside, sow extra for the mice and have some rootrainers ready to fill in any gaps in the row. Plastic underbed storage boxes are just the right size for the gutters put paid to their fun. Starting your peas off indoors will help avoid that - although mice have been known to find the gutters in the polytunnel and have themselves a banquet. The first are mice, who see that round parcel of protein and starch as an ideal early spring meal. There are a few creatures that might want to have a share of your pea crop. Using a trowel, dig a deep hole the same depth as the rootrainer and slide the plant in, fill in the hole with surrounding soil and water in well. Rootrainers are designed to be opened up exposing the whole root, which should have reached the base of the rootrainer. Once you have the knack they will hardly notice the change and grow away as if nothing has happened. Carefully slide the seedlings, soil and all into their new home and water in well. Make an indentation in your prepared soil outside using an empty piece of gutter, water the bottom of the indentation and let it drain away. Once your pea seedlings have four leaves and are looking sturdy enough to face the outside world, harden them off for a few days by keeping them inside at night and outside during the day. Put the guttering in the greenhouse or on an indoor windowsill and watch the seed germinate in around 10 days’ time. Fill with peat free compost almost up to the top of the gutter, water lightly, then pop the seeds individually at about 4cm spacing, zigzagged down the gutter. Use a length of plastic guttering that you can handle easily. Peas dislike root disturbance, so if you are sowing indoors to get an early start, then use either rootrainers (one pea per section) or use the gutter technique. You might need to add twiggy pea sticks between your canes as peas can be planted closer together than beans. If you are growing the tall climbing varieties, they can follow on the year after runner beans to make use of the fertile trench and the structure if it is strong enough. Peas like a fairly rich moist soil, so you will need to incorporate plenty of organic matter to get a good crop.
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