I grow quite a lot of peas,and try to select those which have a very
good flavour as well as giving a reasonable crop.This is my experience
over the last few years and would welcome comment.The heights I quote
are pretty approximate and depend on soil condition.

Kelvedon Wonder 18" -good early pea which crops well and has a
reasonable sweet flavour.
Meteor 18"-poor cropper and mediocre taste.In my view not worth
growing to get peas a few days earlier than others.
Douce Provence 18" -new to me this year and pretty good flavour and
reasonable cropper.
Little Marvel 18" -my second year with this,and pretty impressive
cropper with very good flavour.
Progress No. 9 24" -one of my favourite peas with an excellent waxy
flavour and good cropper.
Rondo 30" -strong grower,excellent cropper and good flavour.
Onward 30" -one of my favourite peas with excellent waxy flavour and
reasonable cropper.
Lincoln 30" -good cropper and flavour.
Champion of England 7' -tall heritage pea with enormous crop and
first class flavour.Needs picking regularly.
Ne Plus Ultra 7' -another heritage pea with enormous crop and first
class flavour.
Magnum Bonum 6' -probably my favourite tall pea with very good
cropping and excellent waxy flavour.

Most peas are widely available,although the last three need some
searching.The trouble with tall peas is that they need substantial
supports to carry the heavy crop,but they are a pleasure to pick
without all of the stooping.

I would welcome comments on other peas which are your favourites.

Regards,Michael

On 26 Jun, 11:30, michael wrote:
I grow quite a lot of peas,and try to select those which have a very
good flavour as well as giving a reasonable crop.This is my experience
over the last few years and would welcome comment.The heights I quote
are pretty approximate and depend on soil condition.

Kelvedon Wonder *18" -good early pea which crops well and has a
reasonable sweet flavour.
Meteor *18"-poor cropper and mediocre taste.In my view not worth
growing to get peas a few days earlier than others.
Douce Provence *18" *-new to me this year and pretty good flavour and
reasonable cropper.
Little Marvel *18" -my second year with this,and pretty impressive
cropper with very good flavour.
Progress No. 9 *24" *-one of my favourite peas with an excellent waxy
flavour and good cropper.
Rondo *30" *-strong grower,excellent cropper and good flavour.
Onward *30" *-one of my favourite peas with excellent waxy flavour and
reasonable cropper.
Lincoln *30" *-good cropper and flavour.
Champion of England *7' *-tall heritage pea with enormous crop and
first class flavour.Needs picking regularly.
Ne Plus Ultra *7' *-another heritage pea with enormous crop and first
class flavour.
Magnum Bonum *6' *-probably my favourite tall pea with very good
cropping and excellent waxy flavour.

Most peas are widely available,although the last three need some
searching.The trouble with tall peas is that they need substantial
supports to carry the heavy crop,but they are a pleasure to pick
without all of the stooping.

I would welcome comments on other peas which are your *favourites.

Regards,Michael


The one I grow is Epicure, another old variety growing to 6ft or so.
good flavour and a joy to pick.
Wouldn't mind swaping seeds of one of your tall varieties.

David Hill
Abacus Nurseries

In article
,
Dave Hill writes

The one I grow is Epicure, another old variety growing to 6ft or so.
good flavour and a joy to pick.
Wouldn't mind swaping seeds of one of your tall varieties.

David Hill
Abacus Nurseries


Would they come true David if all grown together?

I grew Ne Plus Ultra and I think Alderman. They cropped where modern
ones don't seem to do well for me. They were easy to pick and much
sturdier than the newer types.

Assumed that it was no good to save seed from the crops as they were
planted quite close together,
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

On 26 Jun, 12:46, Janet Tweedy wrote:
In article
,
Dave Hill writes

The one I grow is Epicure, another old variety growing to 6ft or so.
good flavour and a joy to pick.
Wouldn't mind swaping seeds of one of your tall varieties.

David Hill
Abacus Nurseries

Would they come true David if all grown together?

I grew Ne Plus Ultra and I think Alderman. They cropped where modern
ones don't seem to do well for me. They were easy to pick and much
sturdier than the newer types.

Assumed that it was no good to save seed from the crops as they were
planted quite close together,
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraphhttp://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

I was told by a pea grower at Lost Gardens in Heligan that peas are
essentially self pollinating and that it is only necessary to leave a
couple of feet between varieties,and this so that you do not pick the
seed from the wrong plant.Michael

On 26 Jun, 11:58, Dave Hill wrote:
On 26 Jun, 11:30, michael wrote:





I grow quite a lot of peas,and try to select those which have a very
good flavour as well as giving a reasonable crop.This is my experience
over the last few years and would welcome comment.The heights I quote
are pretty approximate and depend on soil condition.

Kelvedon Wonder *18" -good early pea which crops well and has a
reasonable sweet flavour.
Meteor *18"-poor cropper and mediocre taste.In my view not worth
growing to get peas a few days earlier than others.
Douce Provence *18" *-new to me this year and pretty good flavour and
reasonable cropper.
Little Marvel *18" -my second year with this,and pretty impressive
cropper with very good flavour.
Progress No. 9 *24" *-one of my favourite peas with an excellent waxy
flavour and good cropper.
Rondo *30" *-strong grower,excellent cropper and good flavour.
Onward *30" *-one of my favourite peas with excellent waxy flavour and
reasonable cropper.
Lincoln *30" *-good cropper and flavour.
Champion of England *7' *-tall heritage pea with enormous crop and
first class flavour.Needs picking regularly.
Ne Plus Ultra *7' *-another heritage pea with enormous crop and first
class flavour.
Magnum Bonum *6' *-probably my favourite tall pea with very good
cropping and excellent waxy flavour.

Most peas are widely available,although the last three need some
searching.The trouble with tall peas is that they need substantial
supports to carry the heavy crop,but they are a pleasure to pick
without all of the stooping.

I would welcome comments on other peas which are your *favourites.

Regards,Michael

*The one I grow is Epicure, another old variety growing to 6ft or so.
good flavour and a joy to pick.
Wouldn't mind swaping seeds of one of your tall varieties.

David Hill
Abacus Nurseries- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Hi David,
I would be very happy to swap some seed with
you.Unfortunately,I have this year had great difficulty in seed
germination with peas,with it being too cold for outside or too warm
for the greenhouse-I have also been overwatering for the first time or
using the wrong type of compost.The net result is that I am out of
seed completely at the moment,but hopefully will particularly have
plenty of Ne Plus Ultra later in the season.I will contact you again
when I have some seed.Cheers,Michael

"michael" wrote
I grow quite a lot of peas,and try to select those which have a very
good flavour as well as giving a reasonable crop.This is my experience
over the last few years and would welcome comment.The heights I quote
are pretty approximate and depend on soil condition.

Kelvedon Wonder 18" -good early pea which crops well and has a
reasonable sweet flavour.
Meteor 18"-poor cropper and mediocre taste.In my view not worth
growing to get peas a few days earlier than others.
Douce Provence 18" -new to me this year and pretty good flavour and
reasonable cropper.
Little Marvel 18" -my second year with this,and pretty impressive
cropper with very good flavour.
Progress No. 9 24" -one of my favourite peas with an excellent waxy
flavour and good cropper.
Rondo 30" -strong grower,excellent cropper and good flavour.
Onward 30" -one of my favourite peas with excellent waxy flavour and
reasonable cropper.
Lincoln 30" -good cropper and flavour.
Champion of England 7' -tall heritage pea with enormous crop and
first class flavour.Needs picking regularly.
Ne Plus Ultra 7' -another heritage pea with enormous crop and first
class flavour.
Magnum Bonum 6' -probably my favourite tall pea with very good
cropping and excellent waxy flavour.

Most peas are widely available,although the last three need some
searching.The trouble with tall peas is that they need substantial
supports to carry the heavy crop,but they are a pleasure to pick
without all of the stooping.

I would welcome comments on other peas which are your favourites.


We used to grow a number of the tall growing peas including Alderman and Ne
Plus Ultra but on our new allotment they did not do well, no maincrop did,
and after a couple of cropless years we gave up. We now only grow early peas
and the two we have most success with and like best are Early Onward and
Feltham First (Feltham is not far away), nice meaty peas. These can also be
planted late to give an autumn crop.

May try some of your suggestions next season seeing as you also like Onward,
thanks.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

In article
,
michael writes
I was told by a pea grower at Lost Gardens in Heligan that peas are
essentially self pollinating and that it is only necessary to leave a
couple of feet between varieties,and this so that you do not pick the
seed from the wrong plant.Michael


Oh rats, I could have saved some seed from last year then! Never mind,
we live and learn.....
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

"michael" wrote in message
...

I grow quite a lot of peas,and try to select those which have a very
good flavour as well as giving a reasonable crop.This is my experience
over the last few years and would welcome comment.The heights I quote
are pretty approximate and depend on soil condition.


....

Regards,Michael

I've only tried peas once, disastrously, but you've inspired me to have
another go, thanks.

Saved post to file, I hope you don't mind.

Mary

"Mary Fisher" wrote ...

"michael" wrote ...

I grow quite a lot of peas,and try to select those which have a very
good flavour as well as giving a reasonable crop.This is my experience
over the last few years and would welcome comment.The heights I quote
are pretty approximate and depend on soil condition.


I've only tried peas once, disastrously, but you've inspired me to have
another go, thanks.

Saved post to file, I hope you don't mind.


Mary, if your problem was germination then it is usually due to mice digging
up and eating the seed, if your pods disappeared then that too is mice. We
have had to buy and use a rather powerful rodent bait to overcome both those
problems.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...



I've only tried peas once, disastrously, but you've inspired me to have
another go, thanks.

Saved post to file, I hope you don't mind.


Mary, if your problem was germination then it is usually due to mice
digging up and eating the seed, if your pods disappeared then that too is
mice. We have had to buy and use a rather powerful rodent bait to overcome
both those problems.

No, I suspect that there wasn't enough air circulation. They grew slowly and
developed a white bloom over every part of the plant. Pods did form but very
few. I know more about gardening now and would be prepared to try again.

Mary

"Mary Fisher" wrote
"Bob Hobden" wrote in message


I've only tried peas once, disastrously, but you've inspired me to have
another go, thanks.

Saved post to file, I hope you don't mind.


Mary, if your problem was germination then it is usually due to mice
digging up and eating the seed, if your pods disappeared then that too is
mice. We have had to buy and use a rather powerful rodent bait to
overcome both those problems.

No, I suspect that there wasn't enough air circulation. They grew slowly
and developed a white bloom over every part of the plant. Pods did form
but very few. I know more about gardening now and would be prepared to try
again.

Sounds like mildew, a lack of water or intermittent watering is often the
cause.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Mary Fisher" wrote
"Bob Hobden" wrote in message


I've only tried peas once, disastrously, but you've inspired me to have
another go, thanks.

Saved post to file, I hope you don't mind.


Mary, if your problem was germination then it is usually due to mice
digging up and eating the seed, if your pods disappeared then that too
is mice. We have had to buy and use a rather powerful rodent bait to
overcome both those problems.

No, I suspect that there wasn't enough air circulation. They grew slowly
and developed a white bloom over every part of the plant. Pods did form
but very few. I know more about gardening now and would be prepared to
try again.

Sounds like mildew, a lack of water or intermittent watering is often the
cause.

Oh, that's possible, they were in a very sheltered position with a lot
(raspberries) of competition.

This year there are runner and broad beans in that plot, they're both doing
very well but we've had a bit of rain :-)

Thanks,

Mary