frozen pea type

[carloso]

Hellooo

has anyone got a good reccomendation for a pea like your birds eye frozen pea ??

kids love em and next yr will be my first pea yr so i could do with a little help please

cheers

carl

[carloso]

[john_miller]

Try to find varieties listed as "leafless". These were specifically bred for the canning/freezing industry to reduce the amount of plant 'trash' that harvesting machines had to sort through to obtain the pods. However, they were also bred to allow a once over harvest- all the pods will be ready more or less together!

[jennym]

I appreciate what John says about the commercial pea growers, but why don't you try 'Waverex' or other petit pois varieties. I grow Waverex every year (as well as other varieties)  and they are absolutely brilliant. Tight little pods, sweet little peas, good to eat raw as well as cooked.

[john_miller]

There was reason I suggested these. I tried growing leafless peas years ago, so I can't remember what variety they were, and they were also "brilliant" for flavour. That was a big surprise too me as I expected a plant so highly bred would be missing that essential facet. I tried them as, being leafless, they were touted as being easier to pick, hence more economical, my concern in a competitive market. Unfortunately they were still uneconomic for hand picking even using my most adept help so I had to drop them from my schedule. It occured to me at the time, and I still believe it, that they would be a crop that kids could pick easily, as the pods are in plain sight, and eat out of hand. Not that I am an expert on kids!

[Diana]

Good points John

[jennym]

John, you intrigued me with your description and so I did a bit of searching on the internet. Found that the variety Bikini is the leafless one most widely grown commercially. Now to find a seed supplier!

[madmum]

have fun googling "bikini"  ;) ;)

[wardy]

Oh I hate having to google for something which might come up dodgy.  Frinstance, Knobs and Knockers (they sell door furniture) and The Sausage Appreciation Society are two sites which I visit but I dare hardly look when you see some of the options which come up.  I set my security to high  ;D

Interesting stuff about the peas.  My peas Kelvedon Wonder I thought weren't very nice.  My husband who is pea mad didn't like them either.  So I was interested to hear about delicious varieties which makes me keen to have another go next year.  I wasn't going to bother but you've encouraged me

Thanks folks 

Wardy

[jennym]

If you want the old fashioned marrowfat type (which I adore too) - they give you a real mouthful - try Lincoln. I sowed these really late this year, and they've done quite well.

[djbrenton]

I grew Feltham First and Hurst Greenshaft, both of which gave beautifully sweet peas. When left on the plant, they became 'processed' peas as did Alderman.

[tim]

Petit Pois - a variety - or just cradle snatching??

[jennym]

Petit Pois - a variety - or just cradle snatching??

They are a distinct type - pods are small, and peas are small when mature and tightly pack the pod. I'm sure I've grown another petit pois type pea with a french name, but the Waverex are jolly good.

[fbgrifter]

jennym>>  who supplies waverex?

wardy>>  why not add sausages and knobs (i beg your pardon?) to your favourites list and then you won't have to use a search engine every time you visit the sites?!!

[jennym]

You can buy waverex petit pois seeds here:
http://www.seeds-by-size.co.uk/peasb98.htm   or
http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/seeds/pages/veg3A.htm   or
http://www.edirectory.co.uk/chilternseeds/pages/default.asp?mt=Category&senc=CBBXBIECBXG   or
http://www.fothergills.co.uk/en/pod-sugar-mangetout-peas.aspx    or
http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=251

Plenty of choice. Different prices too.

[john_miller]

http://www.burpee.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=2740&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=13&iSubCat=233&iProductID=2740&iSubSubCat=2104
I don't recall this name as being the one I grew (and I got mine from Stokes in Canada) so I'm not endorsing it. Burpees are the oldest seedhouse in the U.S. though and do have a good reputation.

[jennym]

Very interesting to see things like that.

[ellkebe]

I found that the first couple of pickings from Kelvedon Wonder were fine, but that they fell off after that somewhat.  Also, little green caterpillars arrived inside the pods.  I guess this is a problem with being organic  :(

I wanted to include more peas next year, so will try some of the suggestions here.  Any thoughts on caterpillar resistant varieties?

[carloso]

thanks very much all something to think about i think lol

oww petit pois cradle snatching like most baby veg i think

ok ok its just my opinion

carl