Back in January, I thought I'd get a head start on my green peas by starting them indoors. And I decided to try starting them in two types of biodegradable containers to see what worked best.
The peas started in the peat pots germinated at a much better rate than the ones in in the toilet paper rolls, but by the time I was ready to set them out in the garden, the toilet paper roll peas were much larger, and had a much better developed root system. I think if I had kept them watered when they were trying to germinate, the toilet paper rolls might have been the clear winner between the two containers. I was satisfied enough with them that I've been saving the rolls again for another try with something.
Because I've been battling rabbits for a while now, I decided to cover the peas every night. I cut the bottom out of a bunch of saved milk jugs, strung them together on a string that I tied to the cattle panel, and every night I went out and set a jug over every plant.
It seemed like a good idea, and it did keep the rabbits away from the peas. But unfortunately, when we had the ice storm in February, I thought I should leave the jugs in place to protect the peas from the ice. They were protected from the ice, but because I didn't take them off when the sun came back out, the milk jugs acted like little "ovens" and the peas were severely damaged by the heat from the sun! When I finally took them back off, the plants looked like they were deathly sick...pale yellow and burned looking.
Sure enough, within a week they were all pretty much gone.
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| Covering the peas during the winter storm seemed like a good idea...it might have been if I had removed the jugs when the sun came back out. |
I planted a bunch of old seed (and I mean OLD, OLD) but none of them came up. So I bought another packet of seeds from the feed store in town and tried again. Most of them came up, but because I wasn't covering them at night anymore, I think I have exactly five of about 30 plants left. The rabbits have apparently had themselves a nice little feast.
I just don't think it's in the cards for me to have any peas again this year. Maybe I will try again this fall.