Many people know to sow sweet peas in autumn for the earliest displays, but too few do the same thing for peas. It is quite possible to sow peas now until the beginning of November to get them established before the worst of winter. Then, with a little protection over the darkest month, they will arise triumphantly in early spring, when they will continue to develop, giving you fresh peas a month before any sown in spring.
You can’t go sowing any old peas for this method, however; they need to be hardy types. There are two types of pea seeds: round and wrinkled. As round seeds are smooth, there is nowhere for water to collect as they swell in the first stage of germination, so they can be sown in colder, wetter conditions. Wrinkled seeds have plenty of crevices for holding water and thus can only be sown in spring, when the soil is drier.
Even then, I have found that you need to pick the right round ones. My best crops come in dwarf varieties that are easy to cloche or cover, such as Douce Provence or Meteor. Douce Provence grows up to 75cm high and tends to be self-supporting with sweet succulent pods. For winter growing, it is worth having a few pea sticks staggered either side of the row to keep them off the soil and away from slugs.
Meteor is smaller, growing up to 45cm high, so it is perfect for pots, balconies, roof gardens and exposed, windy sites. It is known for its excellent winter hardiness and produces numerous small, but well-filled, pods. Sow seeds 5cm deep in drills, 10-15cm apart, with 45-60cm between rows. The wide row-spacing allows you to get between them to pick.
Mice love pea seeds, which are a hefty source of protein at the best of times, but essential for going into the winter; if you don’t take measures, you won’t have a single pea left after the first night. You won’t know this, though – it is as if the rodents have taken a masterclass in burglary, going about their work smoothing away any paw prints. A thick litter of dried holly leaves deters tender noses. Netting can work, too, as can starting the seedlings off in modules and planting out after two weeks or so. Cover the modules with netting if necessary.
Once the seedlings are up, you have another issue: pigeons and pheasants, both of which are very fond of the young seedlings, so keep that netting handy. The best trick is Enviromesh, a fine mesh netting for keeping off pests. It is as good as fleece for keeping the frost off, but with better air circulation.
