Peas are a staple in countless British gardens. They take up little space, taste far sweeter than shop-bought versions and slot easily into anything from summer salads to hearty stews. Yet many gardeners struggle to keep the vines upright.
The fix, according to experts at Northwest Gardening, is simply to sow peas beside a row of corn. The experts say peas “can grow up onto other plants such as corn or sunflowers,” turning the tall stalks into a ready-made trellis and sparing gardeners the trouble of building supports.
To try the trick, Northwest Gardening suggests putting the corn in first, then pushing pea seeds about an inch deep and one or two inches apart all around the base of each stalk.
Timing is straightforward. Early spring is best, and sowings usually succeed until daytime temperatures top about 24C.
In milder parts of the UK you can even slip in a second crop in early October for a late-November harvest.
Good soil still matters. The experts advise digging in “a fair amount of compost and rotted manure” before planting; that is normally enough food for an entire pea crop.
Extra fertiliser is seldom needed because peas, like other legumes, can take nitrogen from the air.
The only routine job is watering: keep the top inch of soil moist but never waterlog the bed.
When shoots reach roughly six inches (15 cm) they start to twine naturally around anything handy, though a gentle weave will speed them along. “Just be careful,” the experts warn.
“If you don’t want to break their tiny stems, train them gently and they’ll reward you for it.”
Harvest comes quickly. Pick pods when the peas are fully formed but before the sides bulge, “taste testing is your best friend,” Northwest Gardening says.
Use one hand to pluck each pod while the other supports the vine so you don’t snap the stem.
Companion choices are simple. Peas “will happily grow with carrots, turnips, radishes, cucumbers, beans and potatoes,” but they dislike onions, garlic, shallots and leeks.
Deer and aphids are the main threats, so a basic fence and the odd hose-down usually keep damage low.