It’s been quite a while since I shared a ‘how-to’ post and as it is that time of year when people new to growing take on allotments, I hope some of you find this useful.

Let’s start with a disclaimer – other methods are available and I’ve probably tried all of them over the last 20 years. The approach I’m sharing here is what works well with least faff – who needs to deliberately create more faff in their lives?

These start out sown in a 20 module seed tray, with four seeds to a module. I generally sow the first tray in late February with Kelvedon Wonder variety. I don’t pre-soak them but I do push the seeds down about half the depth of the module which prevents the root pushing the sprouted seed out of the compost.

I’ve tried the drainpipe and quarter seed tray method but it’s a faff. I’ve never managed to persuade the pea shoots to leave the drainpipe in an orderly fashion and likewise trying to tap out a 6″ length of pea shoots into my hand and then flip in over into the trench requires longer hands and greater hand/eye co-ordination than I have available.

I use seived multi-purpose compost with added John Innes for a bit of water retaining heft. The module tray is placed in a seed tray half filled with water, covered with a propagator lid and left in the greenhouse. They take around 10 days to sprout and at that point I remove the lid and leave them well watered to grow on for another 5 days or so then outside the greenhouse for a few more days to harden off but without the in-out hokey cokey business, unless a frost is forecast.

Then to plant out at the plot. As peas are nitrogen fixers, I rotate them with brassicas. I rake the soil, spread some fish, blood and bone and assemble the supports. The metal U hoops were part of the pea support arrangement sold by Harrod Horticultural but unbolting the metal rod became a faff too far and has been replaced with bamboo tied in place for the season. The wire panel is cut to size, usually I put a panel either side but this year just one through the centre of the support – trying to weed in between is a faff.

Once the support system is in place, I draw out a channel using a hand rake but a trowel or hand works too. I evenly space the modules along the length of the wire panel – in this case 20 modules fits the 6ft run. Draw the soil around each module, making sure there aren’t any soil gaps. Water in well and if needed cover to protect against pigeons and pea moths – I say no to extra protein in my peas!

If all goes to plan I could be picking peas at the end of May and I live in hope of that coinciding with peak aspargus production. The asparagus bed is at the top of this photo and if you look carefully, they are already sprouting – I cut the first four spears yesterday.

I have very early peas sown in the polytunnel, which are in flower. Hopefully I will be picking these when the asparagus is at its peak.

Hoping sowing – and do share what you do differently or the same?