"David Hill" wrote

michael wrote:
, Baz wrote:
Sown 2 rows of 8m of both today. I know its cold, but after a soak in
water they will be up in a few days.(fingers and toes crossed). Well we
can't let the weather hold us up, can we. They grow or die. I have
enough to do it all again. I expect the broad beans will do it, but the
peas may not so will sow them again when it warms up a bit. God only
knows when we can plant out our brassis. Baz

I am amazed that you are sowing peas directly in the soil.On our
allotment,it used to be possible,but mice eating all of the seed is now
the norm.So everyone sows their seed,either in a piece of guttering or in
a seed tray,and plants them out 4" apart-in that way one gets a full well
spaced row.The theory is that mice like peas when they initially swell
after a couple of days-they are very sweet then.However,when the peas
throw out a shoot the sugar gets used up in the growth and the remaining
pea attached to the growing pea,tastes of starch.Mice sometimes taste
mine,but after a couple leave them on top in disgust.
Michael

I remember my mother soaking the peas over night in paraffin before sowing,
this was to stop the mice eating them, that was 60+ years ago.

Tried that David but it didn't work for me, strange mice here obviously.
Some on our site appear to be able to grow straight into the ground and I
did it one year with success, but only once, I now use the guttering method.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK