Thursday, January 05, 2012

Planting peas ready for spring harvest

In December, peas, mange tout and sugar-snap peas were sprouted in a moist cloth and then grown on in compost using the half a drainpipe method (as seen in picture). This gives almost a 100% result with strong healthy plants. When large enough to handle, these were then transplanted into the ground and with good luck and fair weather they will be ready for harvesting from early April. We have grown many more peas this year as they freeze well and will see us through to the next season.


Lambs lettuce and little gem lettuce has also been sown using a similar method and should be ready for first harvest around the same time as the peas.

The land vole has become a nuisance yet again and destroyed several winter lettuce, eaten away at a few of the celeriac and continues to undermine the leeks and strawberry plants. We are going to try a newly discovered deterrent to keep them away from the vegetable plot which is peppermint oil on cotton wool stuffed into their burrows. Eradication is impossible as they are so numerous, a three pronged approach is the way forward....we think. Wentworth and Gawber's hunting skills, peppermint oil and short grass.

Shouldn't you two be out catching voles?

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