Grow Your Own Magazine

we planted peas in two different beds, however we thought one of the beds was planted with mange tout but both look the same and taste the same! is there anyway of working out if i should be picking one now or leaving it to grow on?

Hey - it's squashy tomato!!!

I'd try eating one of each as mange tout - and if one isn't all fibrous then you've found the mange tout.

Personally I would have them all as peas.

__________________
Andrea :wavehello

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...logs/zazen999/

moon trials completed:
tomatoes
[46% increase in crop per seed sown and 10% increase in crop per plant]

currently underway:
calabrese
garlic

http://linearlegume.blogspot.com/

I don't think it matters a huge lot, as you can eat mangetout as peas and vice versa, it's just that the "mangetout" varieties are bred to have nicer pods while the "pea" varieties are bred to have nicer peas!

Try them both as flat pods and also as they swell - I found that, except when very immature at which point it is hard to tell the difference, the mangetout taste sweeter than the peas. Also the pea pods get fibrous as they swell, which mangetout don't. (Not that mine have had the chance to swell all that much lol)

__________________
Warning: I have a dangerous tendency to act like I know what I'm talking about.

i have tasted both and cant say i noticed much difference so i'll probably harvest a few for a stir fry and let the majority grow, thats if i have any as i got the girls to test them as well and they went down pretty well with them

My mange tout peas (I left them too long) taste sweeter than my proper peas, so I'll save the seed and grow them as peas next year.

__________________
~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

And my hertiage Lancashire Lad purple podded peas are actaully nicer raw as mangetout than raw as peas. However, I have great hopes of them cooked - like a marrowfat, I hope!

The real difference is genetic - some have the gene for a fibrous mature pod and some don't. There seem to be degrees of fibrous-ness - fibrosity?

__________________
Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 30th - Mr Stinky's Excellent Adventure (and a Christmas Cake)

I'd wondered what the difference was. I've only planted shelling peas so far but have been tempted to try some of the young pods as mangetout. I picked about 20 pods yesterday and had enough peas for 3 of us with lunch (the other 3 don't like peas!) but I felt really guilty throwing the empty pods into the compost bin. So I'll try some as 'eat them all' and see how they taste.

__________________
Julie

You can also use the starchy pods when you're making stock, and then chuck them in the bokashi bin before the compost

hi ya ST - you have come out of hiding lol!!! after causing me deep stresses ha ha !!

you mean you let the kids eat the veg, i thought you was gonna frame it ha ha !!

I think i am gonna defo grow peas next year, let me have all your secrets, i prefer peas to mange tout - by the way how is the allotment ?? x

ps. i want you to do a blog please xx but ony if you are glammed up in it!

__________________
Gardening - A labour of love that begins with daybreak and ends with backache!
http://clarkiesveggieblog.blogspot.com/