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How far apart to plant peas

KmehKmeh Posts: 173
in Fruit & veg
Amateur veg garden question. I have pea seedlings that are about 5-10cm that I want to plant out. The instructions suggests planting the seeds at 5-10 cm apart and makes no mention of thinning, despite the plants having a 60 cm spread?

What intervals would you plant them out?

Thank you?
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Posts

  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    I just whack mine in about 3"-4" apart (which I see from my rule is about 8-10cm) and they go up so not sure where the 60cm spread is a problem.

    The higher they go the thinner the leaves are at the bottom and as long as they are sheltered and watered they don't seem to mind a bit of congestion. Hope that helps  :)
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I agree, close spacing might even be something they prefer.  I sow them roughly 2" (5cm) apart in rows about 8 " wide when direct sowing.  This year I started tall peas in root trainers, 3 seeds per module and planted the contents of each module out about 4" apart.
    Those are doing really well and are nearly at the top of the 6ft netting now.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • PlashingPlashing Posts: 328
    I did the same three seeds per root trainer and they are four foot high and are flowering and will be picking them this next week the pods are getting to be three inches long they are sugar snap ones.Later on I sowed some dwarf beans at one per module and have planted them out they are doing really well,I have sent for some more root trainers because They are very good and the plants don't suffer with root disturbance. Regards Plashing 
  • GemmaJFGemmaJF Posts: 2,286
    Peas seem to have no consensus at all on planting distance in books.

    I plant in a zig-zag just 2-3 cm apart. They seem to me to be a plant that thrives close together and I get plenty of peas.

    A lot of the 'book' distances are derived from many years experience but also to suit a variety of soils and growing distance to maximize crops.

    Breaking the rules is when veg growing gets interesting for me  :)
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited June 2020
    GemmaJF said:

    Breaking the rules is when veg growing gets interesting for me  :)

    Funny you should say that @GemmaJF :)
    I'm growing a yellow-podded mangetout called 'Golden Sweet' in the corner of a greenhouse - must be 30+ plants in a section of border about 2 square feet.
    I don't think peas are recommended to be grown in greenhouses but you can judge for yourself whether it's working or not.  This variety is very, very pretty in its own right:
    Whole section:

    Flowers change colour:


    And finally the tasty bit


    :)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    I didn't know yellow prodded even existed.  I'll add those to the list for next year, how fun!  (Anything that will get my kids to eat veggies).
    Utah, USA.
  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    Nice looking crop you have there, @BobTheGardener  I have just finished mine and they have been pulled out.
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • KmehKmeh Posts: 173
    Amazing pictures! Thanks for all your responses. 

    I will definitely be planting even more than I've already sowed now! 

    Any other veg that anyone has had any success with bending the planting distance rules with? Beans for instance? Any luck with close planting? 
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Yep, I find climbing beans can take close spacing as long as you can keep-up with the watering. :)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Different types of peas grow to different heights and need different types of support ... some dwarf varieties are virtually self supporting and tall varieties need tall peasticks or canes and netting. 
    Perhaps these differences account for varying planting differences?


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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