peas - i wish

[campanula]

after six, yep six successive attempts at peas starting from an autumn sowing and my last sowing in July, they have all been dreadful failures - either ravaged by pidgeons, beetles or mildew, I am wondering whether to concede defeat - god knows I kept trying, making soecial beds, getting creative with poles and netting, weeding, hoeing and generally fussing, only for them to flop about feebly , looking sadder and sadder. Have also heard of many carrot failures this year - in fact the only ones i could germinate came from old seed. Anyone else having bogey crops? and why?

[campanula]

[Mrs Ava]

My early peas were great, my later sowings, RUBBISH!  They would germinate, and then not really do much, and finish by curling up and dying!

Carrots seemed to be hit or miss, and then the whole bloody lot germinated in one foul swoop!  I blame the weather and lack of water on these, but at least I will have some more for winter use, just didn't get any with my new potatoes which was the plan.

No runnerbeans or broadbeans of note.  Voles, mice, jays and aphids!

Extreme allotmenteering Campanula!  Bet you had some great successes though!

[terrace max]

I grew purple peas Ezethas Krombek Blauwschok which I think is Dutch for 'grow easily, taste very average'!

Still couldn't grow a parsnip if my life depended on it...

[windygale]

Hi Campanula, i had problems with my PEAS,CARROTS,PARSNIPS, SWEADS, none of them showed any signs of life on lottie, going to try and grow them at home in deep pots, then transplant them to lottie site,old trick my dad used to do,
everything else was fine (i think) potatoes,cabbages, onions,leeks, beetroot, runnerbeans,
all the best
windy

[busy_lizzie]

 We had no luck at all with peas last year but our dwarf french beans did very well.  However this year, although the spring peas were patchy our autumn lot seem to be thriving, but we have had no french beans at all. I am wondering whether it is anything to do with the way we have rotated our crops and this years position has made a difference, also we have had extremes of weather, with flood conditions one day and very hot weather the next. We always have to grow the peas in the greenhouse first otherwise they never survive.   busy_lizzie

[kentishchloe]

I have planted 4 different varieties of pea throughout the year and have harvested perhaps a dozen decent pods! They are all varieties i've succeeded with in the past but this year was a TOTAL washout. Not sure I'll bother again.... mind you, does anything beat picking a handful of fresh pods and sneakily munching them while no-one's looking? KC

[busy_lizzie]

Absolutely KC.  Not many of our peas have managed to last until we got home from the lottie, too busy eating them.  My OH has been saving the pea pods so he can make some wine though. busy_lizzie

[flowerlady]

Mine were also covered with Mildew.

However, I learnt yesterday that air circulation is essential.  ;)

Without doubt mine were in the wrong position, too close to other tall plants not allowing maximum air to push through them.

Hope this helps somebody! :-\

[reedos]

I had problems with all my legumes this year, three sowings of peas, all different varieties and I didn't get a single pea !!
Same story with beans - nothing from either my runners or french beans. Nothing germinated. I'm putting it down to a horrible May. >:(

[Svea]

the cold damp weather didnt help with the beans, for sure. had two sowings of parsnips before they came up - but they are wonderful! :) have already had a couple and they are delish!

late peas suffered from mildew - will try overwintering ones this autumn :)
you win some, you lose some, right?

[Moggle]

I've had problems with:

Peas - lots didn't germinate, then the slugs and birds had a feast.
Carrots - germination okay, but slugs keep eating them  :'(
Parsnips - germination problems
Swede - cabbage white and slugs got em
Dwarf french beans - slugs at them.

Have had plenty of successes though, and my climbing beans are just starting to crop heavily - hope the frost holds off for a while  :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've had major problems with peas and parsnips for the last two years. I put it down to either the dry weather early on, or the cold. Maybe a combination of both, it's been really funny weather.

[nickhitch]

peas????wot are they???

every year i try sum and they always get hammered by pea and bean weevils whitch notch around the edge of the leaves and keep going until the plants cannot recover..

i have had limited success starting them at home until they are strong enough to withstand an attack ,

carrots were hit and miss again this year but everything else went ok i feel,just waiting to see if b'nuts will mature in time

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've never had any carrots worth the name, and as for butternuts, the plants are rampant, but no nuts.

[Alimo]

Peas, broad beans and runners fantastic.... container potatoes brills (but just not enough).

Beetroot ok, but disastrous sweetcorn and carrots - well, I only managed to harvest 3  ::) I'm keeping my fingers crossed about the butternuts - but all pumpkins munched by slugs (and I think not really watered enough anyway)

I'm putting everything down to it being my first year and I'm learning. 

Alimo

[busy_lizzie]

Old allotment saying: "It will be better next year"!  At least that is what we are always saying.  ;D busy_lizzie

[campanula]

right on bizzy lizzy ;D - its always gonna be better next year!

[kentishchloe]

I noticed on GW on Friday night that Monty had a lovely crop of peas... maybe i need to get meself a team of BBC Horti assistants ??? ;)