Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi - I have 3 large rows of direct planted peas and mange tout that have now sprouted and are about 1 1/2'' - 2 1/2'' high.
I have always left them to find their way up supports in the past few years - but read an article somewhere that I should pick out the central growing tip at about 4''? can anyone tell me if this works better for better cropping? Would I get fuller plants or just destroy and stunt the plants?? any help would be appreciated?

Dear Polparrot, we have mentioned this earlier in the year, but i don't think anyone has tried it before on this forum, apart from Sweetpeas.
So i grew sixty pots of Peas and have pinched twenty of these.
I have now planted them out, the unpinched ones are at about four inches tall, but the pinched ones are just starting to produce sturdy sideshoots.
So i'm waiting to see what the end result will be.

I know this doesn't really answer your question, but i thought it mght be of some interest to you.

The variety i am trying this on is Banff by the way.

Thanks for that oldherbaceous - maybe I'll pinch out the one row and leave the rest, they are early onward and sugar snap......I'll let you know how it goes.....must go and be brave now and start pinching! thanks june

oldherbaceous wrote:Dear Polparrot, we have mentioned this earlier in the year, but i don't think anyone has tried it before on this forum, apart from Sweetpeas.
So i grew sixty pots of Peas and have pinched twenty of these.
I have now planted them out, the unpinched ones are at about four inches tall, but the pinched ones are just starting to produce sturdy sideshoots.
So i'm waiting to see what the end result will be.

I know this doesn't really answer your question, but i thought it mght be of some interest to you.

The variety i am trying this on is Banff by the way.

I'll watch this space eagerly as I am in the same boat.

Thanks

Just to let you know how my peas are - I'm so pleased with them - I pinced out one long row and left the other - and the pinced out ones have now overtaken the norm , and not only that they are much healthier bushier plants - just waiting for the flowers and crop now but all things are definately looking good. wish I'd done all rows now!

Hi Polparrot

A useful experiment indeed. Keep the forum posted on the cropping results.
Did you eat the pinched out tips? Have a look at this thread.

Hi Alan - Thanks for that thread, I'll certainly try that - never thought of it before I'll keep things updated on my experiment.

Progress on the pinched out rows.........they outcropped the rest by at least 50% and are still going strong. I started picking the crop 3 weeks ago and will be doing so for at least another 3 I think. Next year I will definately pinch out early on all of them. the heavy cropping is worth all the effort put in early on. can only recommend its worth a try.

Dear Polparrot, my Banff Peas have not been quite so responsive to the pinching. The pinched ones have still out-cropped the unpinched ones and also cropping longer though.
It is something i will be trying again, but i will try a different type of pea and see if i can get as good as results as yourself.

An interesting experiment indeed.

So if I haven't yet pinched-out my peas yet, is it still worth doing now?

My climbing peas are around 5 feet high and covered in pods which I've been picking from a week or so. However there are very few new flowers.

colin- i would say too late! at 5' all the new growth nutrients are taken. I pinched out at 4''-6'' back to the first shoot, quite harsh, but well worth trying next year - or this year if your quick with another smaller crop. maybe start in the greenhouse or tunnel if you have one? to get them going quicker.

I think the idea is that pinching out encourages more root growth at first and then they send out extra side shoots instead of just one main shoot, so they should produce more peas.

Hi Polparrot,
Thank you for the update. A very well worth experiment by the sound of it. Something for everybody to try next year.
Can you tell me exactly at which stage they were at when you did the pinching out?
JB.

Hi Johnboy, I would recommend it's worth a try for next year, I'll definately be doing all my crop then.They were just about 4'' with 3-5 sets of leaves, and I pinched back to just above the first leaves on each stem. They seemed to take a while to get going after that but when they got in their stride they over took the non-pinched rows easily, with much bigger, bushier plants,which are still flowering/setting pods after 3 weeks of picking. and look to carry for another couple of weeks at least. The non-pinched rows are now almost finished with just the odd flower.
good luck for next year - june

Dear Polparrot, i just pinched the growing tip out of my Peas at the three to five leaf stage, i wonder if thats why yours were better than mine.