Unwins Early Pea Early Onward Seeds

Make a flat bottomed drill, 5cm deep and 15cm wide and water it well. Sow seeds approximately 7.5cm apart, spacing them evenly in a zigzag manner. Backfill with soil, and firm it down with the flat edge of a rake. Allow about 60cm between rows.

As the peas start to grow, support them with netting or pea sticks.

As seedlings emerge, the shoots are very attractive to birds, placing a few little twigs over the row will give some protection. Keep well watered around the base of the plants; do not wet the leaves. Sow regularly for continuous crops.

For an earlier start, seeds may be sown indoors in late winter and planted out once about 20cm tall and acclimatised to outdoor conditions. For early outdoor sowings, if necessary warm the soil first, under a cloche or polythene. Pick pods regularly.