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Is it worth soaking or chitting peas?

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  • #1

    Is it worth soaking or chitting peas?

    For whatever reason, I seem to have difficulty getting peas to germinate. I usually sow them in pots but only 10% seem to come up. Is it worthwhile soaking or chitting them? What do successful people do?

    I meant Chitting but it looks like my spelling corrector got the better of me
    Last edited by MarkPelican; 07-04-2017, 05:16 PM. Reason: Noticed error
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  • #2
    I sow them, give them a good watering, and then no more watering til they're through.

    Works for me

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    • #3
      I've got heavy clay at the allotment and nothing I sow direct does well.

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      • #4
        I chat to mine all the time
        I don't grow many and don't sow direct in case they're eaten. I've been experimenting with chatting on cotton wool and kitchen roll. Cotton wool worked well, kitchen roll started yesterday so I don't know yet.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by MarkPelican View Post
          I've got heavy clay at the allotment and nothing I sow direct does well.
          Originally posted by ThelmaSanders
          I sow them, give them a good watering, and then no more watering til they're through.
          Sorry, I wasn't clear - that's how I sow in rows in deep seed trays. (Plastic dividers separate the rows)

          I do also sow some direct on the plot if we get a warm early spring, like this year

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          • #6
            I've not had trouble getting peas to germinate, its the step between germination and too tough for slugs that usually befuddles me - but I did spill a load into a gravel try half full of water yesterday _ I'll see how they go. The may need speaking too...
            sigpic
            1574 gin and tonics please Monica, large ones.

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            • #7
              I chit mine then once they've sprouted they get sown into guttering, then eventually tipped sideways in to a pre-dug channels. This way works out good for me.
              Location....East Midlands.

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              • #8
                I have to admit that I don't do very well with peas except, for some reason, Douce Provence. I sow them direct because I can't be doing with the trouble of sowing them in modules and then planting them out. So, I make a little hole in the soil, water the hole, drop a couple of peas in, cover them with potting compost to make it a bit easier for them to bust through our terracotta clay, and then water again a few days later if I think they need it.

                I sowed this year's on 27 March and they're now starting to pop up, so I've given them an extra drink by way of thanks.

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                • #9
                  After having all my direct sown peas eaten by mice I use the method suggested to me by Two Sheds.

                  Using an old plastic take-away food contain I soak them for 24 hours, then drain and rinse them, then rinse and drain everyday until they germinate.

                  One thing I did notice this year. When I first started I used some 3 year old seed, germination was slow and erratic about 75%. Later when I used new seed germination was much quicker and 100%.
                  Potty by name Potty by nature.

                  By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.


                  We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.

                  Aesop 620BC-560BC

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                  • #10
                    Make sure you haven't got any slugs eating seedlings before you see them. I thought I had a bad germination only to find slugs under my seedling trays

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                    • #11
                      I get the best germination when I chit them so definitely think its worth doing... not sure if its mice or cold soil that prevents the ones i sow direct outdoors from popping up.

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                      • #12
                        This is only my second year so I'm by no means an expert but last year I just sowed mine in pots in the greenhouse and they all germinated. This was mange tout and sugar snaps though as opposed to proper peas!

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                        • #13
                          I have always sowed my peas in pots (real peas and Mangetout). This year I sowed 35 pots of Mangetout with 4 seeds to a pot as normal and I have two germinated. I've set, them to soak and see if I get better success.

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                          • #14
                            I've used seed I've saved myself for last about 10 years (best looking pods off best plants). Never really had any problem with germination - about 80 to 100 seeds to a seed tray, no soaking or chitting. Only had a problem one year when I was a bit slow to plant out after germination. Poor compost I blamed it on as it looked dry on top often so I watered well but was sodden where the seed was and a fair percent of root had started to rot. Got 4 trays now (about 350 seeds) just popping through - will make a 30 foot x 6 inch row. Sounds like your seeds are poor quality (or compost is).
                            The only problem with saving seeds is being able to ripen them before the mice eat them.

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