Growing peas another way - maybe?

[veggiechicken]

Just weighed the peas - 685g or 1lb 8oz in old money.

[veggiechicken]

Fascinating fact for February!
100 peas weigh an ounce approx.

2oz of peas are floating in water
2oz of peas are sitting on damp paper towel.

Q. What % of peas will germinate; which will be the most effective and how long should I give them?

Hope you didn't think you could put your feet up now?

[Bren In Pots]

VC I think those floating in water will probably rot and you'll get 80% of your damp paper towel ones to germinate.

[veggiechicken]

News Flash!

The Floaters have absorbed nearly all their water and are much bigger than those that that are lazing about on their towels.............

[rary]

Scatter them along your hedge rows and any that germanate are a bonus

[Mark_Riga]

If they are a few years old, I would not really expect any to germinate. Hessayon suggests they should keep for 12 months and L.D. Hills that you can plant them for 2 seasons with reduced germination the 2nd year. If you can't eat them then they will likely end up as compost/fertiliser.

[veggiechicken]

I think you're right, Mark. There's been no sign of germination so I'll chuck them all in the compost bin............maybe..

[Mamzie]

nah, give them a tad longer, just in case - I reckon a 20/25% may germinate x

[ameno]

I've been planting mangetout seeds for peashoots (they're a variety I don't want to grow anymore) for the last two years from a packet which is about 5 years old.
I always thought peas and beans were meant to keep comparatively well?

Conversely, I had a packet two years ago which had terrible germination rate and weak growth from the ones that did come up. I germinated some on damp paper, and found that all of them very quickly (within 48 hours) developed a nasty slimy coating. I concluded that they were probably bacterially contaminated, and contacted the supplier for a replacement. They sent me two packets, which wasn't bad. The new seeds grew fine.

[Bren In Pots]

If I don't have any spare pea seeds to grow for peashoots I buy a box of dried peas and sow them, as mentioned in Alys Fowlers Edible garden book/TV program. Almost all of them seem to grow.

[mothhawk]

I think you're right, Mark. There's been no sign of germination so I'll chuck them all in the compost bin............maybe..

Nothing venture, nothing gain. If you put them in the compost bin they definitely won't grow, so chuck them on a bit of empty ground then they can please themselves.

[ameno]

If I don't have any spare pea seeds to grow for peashoots I buy a box of dried peas and sow them, as mentioned in Alys Fowlers Edible garden book/TV program. Almost all of them seem to grow.

I've grown supermarket dried marrowfat peas as pea sprouts (where you eat the whole pea when the root is about 1cm long), and they do generally have a good germination rate.

[Can the Man]

VC, is soak the peas to soften them, then give them to your girls.