Eat Seasonably

Complete growing directions

1. Pea seeds are popular with mice, voles and a host of birds, so it’s best to get them started indoors.
2. Half fill a seed tray with compost.
3. Sow about 50 seeds evenly across the surface, fill the tray to the top with compost, water carefully and place on a windowsill.
4. As soon as the seedlings emerge you can plant them out in the garden. To do this make a shallow trench in the soil about 2 inches deep and 6 inches wide and carefully place the sprouted seeds roughly an inch apart along the trench.
5. Carefully place soil over the top and gently press it down. Water the seedlings.
6. When the plants are about 5 inches tall cut off the shoots to leave about an inch of stem. These will reshoot so you can enjoy them again and again.

Alternative method: you can leave the shoots to grow into full-sized plants and harvest plump pods of peas. To do this you will need to use canes and netting. Learn more at Garden Organic.

Watering

1. The easiest way to tell if something needs watering is with your finger: poke it into the soil to test.
2. If the soil is damp just under the surface, don't water. If it is dry up to the first crease of your finger then you need to water.
3. Seeds and seedlings need care when watering – use a fine-head watering can so you don't over-water them.
4. It is better to water well infrequently than to sprinkle a little every day.

Compost

Check out Compost Made Simple for all your composting needs and know-how.