So, I planted my peas during the last week of May (I think) and have been lovingly nurturing them since. I’ve grown peas before and I really like the taste of them fresh from their pods – they are completely different from frozen peas from the supermarket with a sweetness and texture that I suspect could convert anyone who claims that they don’t like peas.
So there they were, growing away in my pots made from old tyres and looking very rustic and earthy when I noticed that they were in fact mange-touts. I dropped the guys at Rocket Gardens a quick email to say that they’d sent me the wrong plants by mistake, and they said they’d send me some new ones. Great! But I was going away for 10 days so I asked if the new peas could wait until my return. This was no problem from the helpful team at Rocket Gardens, and I went off “up country” leaving my veg patch unattended for 10 days.
Upon my return I was out weeding in the veg patch when I noticed something strange about my peas. Once more I picked up the phone to Rocket Gardens. “Um, you know those mangetout plants that you sent me by mistake…? Yeah, they’re actually peas.”
I’m not sure how I didn’t notice this before when I last grew peas, but in case anyone else makes the same mistake…the pods start off flat and then fatten up as the peas inside get bigger. Silly me.