On 8 Apr, 12:29, michael wrote:
I have given up sowing peas outside,but instead sow them in trays in a
heated propagator area.I have varying success in getting high
germination rates,and have put this down to using poor compost.I tend
to mix multipurpose compost with some grit sand and John Innes.I fill
half of a large seed tray with compost,place about a hundred peas
reasonably spaced (1" apart)onto the compost and then dip the tray in
a water tray until the water turn the compost dark or wet.I then drain
off, fill the seed tray with more compost,and then place in the
propagator.The thermostat is set to about 30F,giving a soil
temperature at the bottom of the tray just over 20F.The peas seem to
start pushing the compost up after about 6 days,but this is where the
problem starts.With some composts the whole of the soil in the top of
the tray lifts up like a roof,and at this stage the soil is quite
dry.It sometimes does not shake down,but if I water the top to soften
it,which is itself quite difficult,the peas underneath the 'roof' tend
to rot.I seem to have least problems with the more expensive Bowers
and Levington multicompost,but some of the cheaper composts such as
Tunstall are dreadful.
Does anyone have any similar experience of this,and can help with a
solution?
Cheers,Michael
P.S.I have given up growing peas outside,as the mice always take 90%!

You're mollycoddling them. I use offcuts of rainwater guttering about
1metre long, 3 parts filled with compost - yes the premium composts
like Levington multi purpose are worth the premium. You don't need a
propagator and you don't need anytrhing like 20C. sow on the compost
about 50mm apart in 3 rows, cover with about 20mm compost, water well
and cover with an old compost bag. Put them somewhere warm say around
16C is fine, in my case that's in my workshop. As soon as you see any
sign of anything coming through you can uncover them and put them
straight outside. Slide them out into prepared drills when they're big
enough. The technique for that is to water if they're a bit dry so the
roots aren't stuck to the plastic, ram the end of the guttering
(sharply but not too hard) against something solid to get them moving,
then slide them down into the drill. Water in to settle the soil
around them. I do this even with early sowings and find they will
tolerate a touch of frost but only if you cool them off before they've
had chance to grow soft. Protect them or keep them out of reach of
rodents at all times See Bob's post.