As you may have gathered, I’m a big fan of a crop that can be overwintered. The soil appreciates it when it’s not left bare, and growers benefit from a harvest arriving far sooner than from plants we sow in spring. Much like their relative, the sweet pea, certain varieties of garden pea can be sown now. Assuming they establish before winter truly sets in, they will – all being well – be ready to get growing, flowering and fruiting as soon as winter gives way to spring.
Peas are a cool-weather crop, so are ideal for this approach, but not all varieties lend themselves to sowing in autumn. Those with a wrinkled seed coat have many nooks where water can gather, which means they’re vulnerable to rotting before they germinate. So the varieties that boast a smooth seed coat – such as ‘Douce Provence’, ‘Meteor’ and ‘First Early May’ – are most suitable.
While I’ve always found the peas I’ve sown directly into the ground (or a container) have produced the sturdiest plants, they can be bothered by various hungry creatures, so I’m planning to sow into seed trays and then plant out once they’re mature enough to face the outdoors. This way I can attempt to protect them from mice (which love to dig up and eat the seeds before they germinate) and slugs (which feast on their young leaves).
Once they’re in the ground, I’ll cover the young plants with netting, fixed in place with gardening pegs, to protect them from garden birds. Consider throwing some fleece or mesh over pea plants if very cold weather – snow especially – is forecast, but make sure to pull any covers back as soon as it’s mild enough as they can be susceptible to mildew.
They’ll need support structures for their tendrils to twirl around as they grow and – depending on how big your plants become before the short days put their growth on pause – you may need to put some in place this side of the new year. Fortunately, winter is the time for many of our woody shrubs and trees to be pruned, providing an excess of twiggy branches that are perfect for the job. Pea netting is designed for the purpose but looks less charming, in my opinion.
If you’re not patient enough to nurse pea seedlings through winter, growing pea shoots is simple and straightforward, and can be done all year round. I sow pea seeds into recycled punnets filled with spent compost (as pea shoots are harvested before they need nutrients) and keep them well watered on a sunny windowsill. Once they’ve developed a couple of sets of true leaves, they’re ready to be picked and will brighten up mid-winter meals with their bright pea-y flavour.
