[Jukes Mum]

I think I may have been a little too keen early season this year 
I planted many things including peas a bit too early in my greenhouse. The peas are now desperate to be planted out but we are still having night frosts. Their leaves are starting to die/yellow. Should I pot them on, or plant them out or....?

[Fleecewife]

Peas should be fine, quite cold tolerant.  If they haven't been hardened off at all then they could be damaged by the wind, so you need to protect them from that, or harden off over the next week, then plant out.  Meanwhile, feed with a general vegetable liquid feed a couple of times, as they will have used up all the nutrients in their compost by now.
What size pots are they in?  I now sow mine in 4" sq pots, 5 seeds per pot.  They have taken 3-4 weeks to be ready to plant out - I've done 2 lots, one more to go.  I have supported them with bushy twigs (from laying the hedge - never had enough before) and that seems to give them some protection from cold and wind.   I used to start my peas off in lengths of guttering, but now I find the pots easier to manage.  That would be useless with large amounts though.
Here we don't plant the delicate things out until early June, as we sometimes get frost that late, but peas would be fine sown direct outside if you can keep the mice away.  Maybe you should sow a second batch now, just in case the first lot don't thrive.
Good luck with them.

[pgkevet]

As fleecewife says peas are cold tolerant.. I sowed mine directly into the ground about 4 weeks ago and they look very healthy and strong despite a couple of mild frosts and cold wind here in mid wales.
I sow under chicken wire tunnels to keep mice/birds away until the seed has been used up then re peg the wire as their support.
I'll be sowing a follow-on crop in about 2 weeks.
On the other hand my beans were started indoors and had to go out due to getting very long trails and haven't coped nearly as well. But still time for a second batch that got sown yesterday in greenhouse modules.
If you buy seed cheap enough it's well worth the early crop gamble

(and note i avoided the joke about premature seeds shooting too early...no I didn't.. .)

[cloddopper]

As a kid in the 1950's the Old timers used to soak beans & peas for a few hours  in clean paraffin to deter the mice and birds , it appears to have worked without harm to the plants .

[Jukes Mum]

Many thanks all.
I will harden off this week and plant out next. I think I might also sow some outside directly.
Mice shouldn't be a problem ;-)

[Fleecewife]

What a beautiful blotchycat    Our last cat died a few months back and we have sadly decided not to get more, because the road outside our house is too dangerous.  She was all tortoiseshell, so like yours but no white.


Check the forecast tonight - here in the south of Scotland the temp is due to fall to 3deg, but bound to be less in the countryside, so I'm prepared for a frost.  Should be ok after that for the rest of May, then frosts are very unlikely 

[Lesley Silvester]

I was late planting my peas and beans due to not having enough windowsill indoors and the greenhouse being unheated so I have just sown direct. I've hung CDs from the canes to deter the birds.

[Jukes Mum]

What a beautiful blotchycat

she is indeed! She was very fat when we moved here 3 years ago, but the lack of neighbours to feed her has certainly slimmed her down! She is a fab hunter and we see her munching at least 2 or 3 mice a day. At 12 years of age, she has a new lease of life 

Anyway, Mew aside!.... I managed to resist plating out until Saturday. I have also sown some directly into the ground as well just in case, but everything is looking fab. Thanks Guys!

[doganjo]

I planted out seedlings yesterday, and just found more at my back door from my pal. 

So, more gardening for me today before the dogs get out to play!      Not letting them in the house till teatime to let the gloss paint dry!

[pgkevet]

I planted out seedlings yesterday, and just found more at my back door from my pal. 

So, more gardening for me today before the dogs get out to play!      Not letting them in the house till teatime to let the gloss paint dry!

Why did you paint the dogs?

[doganjo]

oops, I missed a bit there didn't I?      My handyman has installed my new kitchen, painted the walls, and today he did the doors.  He put up barricades but they'd have bish bosh bashed them down so i thought it better to leave them outside.  The dogs, not the doors 

[pgkevet]

 

[sabrina]

I love growing peas but they never make the kitchen as I pick and eat ,

[princesslayer]

Sabrina, my kids eat the peas and strawberries off the plant. I've planted loads more peas this year in the hope I can get them into the house! They were even washing the baby carrots in the water butt last year and eating them...

[Lesley Silvester]

Must admit, I've hosed a few radishes and eaten them straight from the soil.