Mangetout too big?

[Bigmallly]

It's my first year at growing these as I love them. Have I let them grow too big or is this normal for this variety or should I pick them when they are smaller?.....Thanks

[rustylady]

More to the point - do they taste good? If they are still nice and tender at that size, then fine. If they seem a bit tough then pick them smaller.

[womble]

Isn't it the size of the peas inside, not the pod?

In my experience............. which so far consists of picking one, yes one, mangetout in my life.

[Bigmallly]

More to the point - do they taste good? If they are still nice and tender at that size, then fine. If they seem a bit tough then pick them smaller.

Well I've just eaten the 6" one raw & it was to die for, a lot sweeter than the smaller ones I picked earlier in the week..........the bigger the better it seems....

[ginger ninger]

Ooo Errr, what a big set of Mangetout you have there BM .
I've never grown the variety you've grown so I couldn't advise you on them. But when I have grown them I've picked them in the 2" to 3" range, but I suppose it all go's on what variety you grow...mine were 'Golden Sweet'.

[Bramble_killer]

I have mangetout envy. None of mine germinated (although got 100+ peas). I blame the cheap Lidl seeds

[Bigmallly]

I found the answer. Thanks for all the replies.

Carouby

[womble]

Wow, nice pods on that mangetout.
You must tell us what the yields are like and what you think of the flavour after cooking.

[Bigmallly]

Wow, nice pods on that mangetout.
You must tell us what the yields are like and what you think of the flavour after cooking.

I'm really happy with the amount I am getting off them, I have already had some cooked and they were very nice, these biggys were hiding at the back of the net between the net & wall so I did not see them. They grow to around 5-6 foot with lots of pods. I think I will leave them to get big as they were a lot sweeter & for 75p for about 50 seeds, I can't complain.

[womble]

I went for Oregon Sugar Pod from Moreveg, I wish I'd gone for yours now

[tamsin]

I'm growing the same variety. They are great Really pretty purple flowers too.

[LolaLou]

BM - this may be a daft question, but how do you get them to grow so tall??? I planted Oregon Sugar Pod (I think!) last year and they grew about 45cm (and a fair little harvest still) and this year I have grown Golden Sweet which are beautiful plants and flowers (which I had my first harvest from last night....and they are delicious!!) but again, they have only made it about 1meter high (and I was exepcting nearly double). Any ideas/tips???

[Bigmallly]

I have no idea LL, the only thing that maybe different is the compost. I am growing them in raised beds which are filled with my own compost, shop bought compost & manure that was put in last autumn. I am not feeding them plus they are on a north facing wall so am surprised myself.

[tamsin]

North facing could add a bit of height as they grow to get the sun. Mine are about 4-5'. But at the back of the flower border so competing for nutrients. I put rabbit manure down a few weeks before I planted them out.

[LolaLou]

Hmmm.....thanks, maybe I need to pay a bit more attention to the ground they grow in....must admit, they did shoot up a bit after a scattering of chicken pellets went down! Maybe the wind at the lottie hits them hard too, who knows.