Cropping Peas

My peas appeared this week........



They snuck up on me as I did'nt notice/ expect them to be hanging there ready to eat I have to say they taste fantastic, strate off the plant, no cooking, the kids love them so I'm very pleased as they seem easy to grow, I love fresh like this n often pay £1 or £2 for a little packet in the shops, and thats why I'm growing them myself, they are only just starting to get big enough to eat and enough for about two meals at the mo lol, but I've got 300 odd plants on the go so am expecting/hoping a proper sized crop for the freezer.

My questions are....
1) does picking them encourage new peas to form? or should I leave them and until what size?

2) Freezing, I presume I need to "blanch" them before freezing? all I know is drop them in boiling water for a short time, how long? do you dry them? freeze them flat on trays before bagging?

They are Unwins Ann Suger btw, I'm intending to "test freeze" some this weekend, then try them in a month.

Many thanks Plant Potty.

 

Thanks John, yes I seeded them in batchs, then plugs and planted out, and then old tyres....

thats just the end of the washing line pole, going to waiste but now has 20 peas growing, I cut the net off today in favour of string:happydance:

I say 300 plants, it was 300 seed in the pack, I'm new to this so am gonna go with whats easy n feeds my sprogs, I've got about 200 just coming up in planters n anything that looks like it'll do lol

But I big thankyou about the "pick for regrowth" coz that saves money:yess: and I'll not be shy picking or eating:WINK1:

Kind Regards, Plant Potty.

 

I jsut freeze mine without blanching and their fine

 

Thanks poohpouri, that sounds alot less work as well, thats always a bonus, how long to they keep frozen? to be at their best? tho I would of thought it a fair while.

Plant Potty.

 

I love the way you've planted them in old tryes, such a good idea! (I shall be having that one:D)

 

There are about 8 in my back hedge that the cheeky bloke 4 doors down fly tipped, so I decided to reuse them, I first planted spring onions in one.....



Then radish....


Scarlet Globe, I had tons of them:yess:


I still have about 5 tyres left I might try one with beetroot?? you've got me thinking now lol

Plant Potty.

 

Those radishes look great! I've never really been keen on eating them though... mum likes them so might still be worth growing:o

 

Thanks, Aesculus, I do like radish I must confess lol, most were eaten whole, tho I've started thin slicing them in the kenwood when I'm making coleslaw, they are a bit more colour, the baby thinnings go in whole, tho I'm not sure the tyre was the answer to my radish production, it produced a mass crop not an ongoing crop, I worked out I'd like to eat about 30 radish a week tops, so I've seeded three ten inch pots from poundland, with about 30 plants in each......



I'm not convinced I've got the math right yet, there was no more "Scarlet globe" seed in town, so have switched to "French Breakfast 3" I've got the seedings staggered so hope to eat and sow one pot a week, in a three week cycle, tho I might have to add a forth pot if they dont grow fast enough (French Breakfast seems like a bigger root and may take longer)

Plant Potty.