Autumn Peas

At the Thompson & Morgan press day a couple of months ago we were all given packets of Terrain peas and Sweet Horizon mangetout with the instructions to go home and sow them that weekend.  They are new downy and powdery mildew-resistant varieties that will keep growing for picking through October and November. Rather than sow them in the ground, I’ve put them in large pots accompanied by Swiss chard and plan to move them into the greenhouse as soon as the tomatoes have finished cropping. A friend has had great success growing Carouby de Maussane mangetout in his greenhouse overwinter and was picking them right through to March, so I’m hoping they prove equally productive. I decided not to risk them in the garden given the size and profusion of giant slugs in the garden this year – even on the outside bench I have the pots standing on bricks in large saucers of water to keep the critters at bay.