"SugarChile" wrote:

What type of tomato cages? Those conical things? Or ones made of concrete
reinforcing wire? I've never used them for peas, and I don't think they'd
be my first choice. Pea foliage is rather tender, and I'd be concerned that
the metal would heat up in the sun. The supports may be spaced a bit far
apart as well. If someone has used them successfully, feel free to jump in
and correct me!
I've got a lot of bird netting left over (black nylon net, holes about
large enough for my thumb). Maybe I should just staple it to two
stakes and stretch it across. The heating up of the metal cage
concerns me a little--even for my tomatoes. Hopefully they will be so
abundant the cage will disappear in all the foliage and fruits. :-)

I use stakes, run some rough twine like jute or sisal between them
horizontally, then wind the twine vertically up and down. Peas climb with
small tendrils, and they grasp onto the rough twine well. When I have them,
I also use tree prunings; peas love to climb up brush. Someone on the list
last year recommended buddleia prunings, which I am using this year and they
are working out well. Whatever you use, it can be several inches away from
the plants. When they get a few inches high, you can gently show them the
way and get them started.

Congratulations on the green shoots!! It's exciting to me each and every
year.
A third and fourth have poked out. The seed instructions said to sow
them every 1"-1.5" because they are poor germinators. Yet the packet
say 80% germination rate. It also said "Do not thin." ! ? In
Sq.Ft.Gardening Bartholemew recommends a 3" sq. spacing. I'm not sure
why they would say do not thin. The four breaking ground now are all
in 6" row together. That IS too close, right? (Sugar Sprint, Snap
Peas; 58 days) I'll wait until they are growing a bit before picking
the healthies to survive.
DiGiTAL_ViNYL (no email)