Just a quick question. If I cut the growing tip off of a pea plant, will it create new ones at lower points (like a tomato)?
My gut says 'no' because I don't see any signs of 'suckers', like on a tomato, but I thought I'd ask anyone with more pea experience, just to be sure.
I have these wonderful purple snowpeas that will soon be above my 3 foot trellis and it would be nice if I could get them to grow out rather than up.
Any other suggestions of what to do would be appreciated.
Thanks -
meshmouse
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CharlieBear
- Green Thumb
- Posts: 588
- Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 5:19 pm
- Location: Pacific NW
No, they will not branch out. Depending on how sturdy the trellis is the peas may still be OK up to a foot above the trellis. Warning the taller they are the more they are likely to be broken or bent over by the wind. Question are the pea pods purple? I have had yellow ones (heirlooms) and of course purple pole and bush beans but purple podded peas I have yet to hear about. If they are please tell me exactly what they are called and where you got them. I love novelties. If the trellis is sturdy enough you could wire or tie on something light like bamboo poles to the top of the trellis to extend the height. I have also wired two of those folding metal pea trellis together to make it taller and have done that for years for the taller varieties.
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meshmouse
- Senior Member
- Posts: 132
- Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2014 10:14 am
- Location: Long Island NY USA zone7a
Thanks CharlieBear -
Yeah, I didn't have much hope. Glad I didn't cut any. It's a small (10 x 12 ft) fenced garden (exterior, four foot hi, one inch mesh)
It's an odd trellis. In a 2.5 x 5 foot inner raised bed (path around) there are two oddly configured wide mesh box units that fit the space and that the peas are very happy with. I think we're talking about the same kind of trellis. They are four sided hinged units ( 2.5 x 3 ft hi) that can easily be used to contain a small compost pile. You can fold them, join them, seperate them, etc. Very flexible, so, not particularly sturdy, but sturdy enough for peas.
I have some light bamboo rods that I think I could raise the bar with (using zip ties, etc) and give them another two or three feet.
I have only grown these once before. Last year, and very late in the season. By the time the first frost hit, I only had five pods. One I ate, and it was good. The other four, I let swell to seed (which are now growning in another garden). Altho I saw they were robust, I had no idea they would be this hearty.
Yes, the pods are purple. Deep purple. There are purple hi-lites at flower junctures and little parts of the otherwise normal pea green leaves. It is a very pretty plant and very easy to harvest (which is why I bought it). I believe the pods will not retain their color when cooked, but I don't know, as I have never cooked one (but I will soon). There were 12 flowers from 12 plants today and there are easily double that ready to bloom (probably by tomorrow AM).
They are called Purple Podded Heirloom Peas (pisum sativum) that I bought from SmartSeedStore dot com (am I allowed to write that?). I have no affiliation with them other than I am now a repeat customer. Mia and her staff are very professional, polite and helpfull. You can even speak to them by phone.
If you like oddities, this is a good place to visit. They do a lot of obscure (and by nature, wild) stuff. I also got the 'mouse melon' cucumber and the 'watermelon' radish, both of which I was unfamiliar with.
Again, thanks for letting me know so I didn't mess them up.
meshmouse
Yeah, I didn't have much hope. Glad I didn't cut any. It's a small (10 x 12 ft) fenced garden (exterior, four foot hi, one inch mesh)
It's an odd trellis. In a 2.5 x 5 foot inner raised bed (path around) there are two oddly configured wide mesh box units that fit the space and that the peas are very happy with. I think we're talking about the same kind of trellis. They are four sided hinged units ( 2.5 x 3 ft hi) that can easily be used to contain a small compost pile. You can fold them, join them, seperate them, etc. Very flexible, so, not particularly sturdy, but sturdy enough for peas.
I have some light bamboo rods that I think I could raise the bar with (using zip ties, etc) and give them another two or three feet.
I have only grown these once before. Last year, and very late in the season. By the time the first frost hit, I only had five pods. One I ate, and it was good. The other four, I let swell to seed (which are now growning in another garden). Altho I saw they were robust, I had no idea they would be this hearty.
Yes, the pods are purple. Deep purple. There are purple hi-lites at flower junctures and little parts of the otherwise normal pea green leaves. It is a very pretty plant and very easy to harvest (which is why I bought it). I believe the pods will not retain their color when cooked, but I don't know, as I have never cooked one (but I will soon). There were 12 flowers from 12 plants today and there are easily double that ready to bloom (probably by tomorrow AM).
They are called Purple Podded Heirloom Peas (pisum sativum) that I bought from SmartSeedStore dot com (am I allowed to write that?). I have no affiliation with them other than I am now a repeat customer. Mia and her staff are very professional, polite and helpfull. You can even speak to them by phone.
If you like oddities, this is a good place to visit. They do a lot of obscure (and by nature, wild) stuff. I also got the 'mouse melon' cucumber and the 'watermelon' radish, both of which I was unfamiliar with.
Again, thanks for letting me know so I didn't mess them up.
meshmouse
I usually grow snow peas on my tomato trellis. It is 7 ft tall. However I have trained beans and snow peas on the folding tomato cages. I just open them up to form a fence and then let them grow across the fence rather than above it. l Longer stakes like 7 ft poles every 3-4 ft and trellis netting can help with the vertical growth.