Am I going mad? edible peas vs sweet peas

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by cathysue, Jul 1, 2011.

  1. cathysue

    cathysue Gardener

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    I think I'm losing the plot!! ;)
    This year I have planted mainly vegetables. The only flower seeds I've planted are marigolds and nasturtiums. The peas I've planted are hurst's greenshaft and early onwards. Admittedly I'm not sure which I've planted in their respective plots but hey ho (they did originally have labels but the kids moved them around). I know that they should both have white flowers but one lot have come up with vivid pink flowers that are very fragrant and the pods are all hairy. Additionally the stems/leaves don't have the funny leaves that grow at the base of each shoot.
    So am I going mad?....have I got edible peas or am I growing sweet peas?......if they are sweet peas then can someone tell me where on earth they've come from 'cos I haven't planted any this year lol!
    This has got me feeling very confused and obviously wary about harvesting the pods as I know how poisonous sweet peas are. If I open a pod will I immediately be able to tell that I've got a pea rather than a sweet pea? Obviously I know that the dried seeds you get in the packets look very different but is it the same for the fresh seeds?
    Please can someone tell me whether I have early onset dementia ;)
     
  2. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    It's very difficult to tell without photos cathy.
     
  3. Stingo

    Stingo Gardener

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    I wonder if this is a weed? must admit to that being my first reaction as I have had these growing on my allotment and inbetween vegs!!
     
  4. cathysue

    cathysue Gardener

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    Ok I'm going to try and upload some photos
    1. flowers
    2. pods (which only seem to have 3 'peas' in them)
    3. stalks/stems/leaves
    If they are sweet peas then I have no idea how they have got there as there are 12 plants! I definitely only planted peas for eating. Additionally if they are sweetpeas then I need to start removing the pods asap so I can get more flowers.
     

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  5. davygfuchsia

    davygfuchsia Gardener

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    They are definatly sweet peas..So your mystery thickens

    Dave
     
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    • daitheplant

      daitheplant Total Gardener

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      Cathysue, if you bought the seed as EDIBLE peas then you need to get onto the seed merchant, also the place where you bought them, and tell them what you have, they are most definitely Sweetpeas.:dbgrtmb:
       
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      • cathysue

        cathysue Gardener

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        Thankyou, so at least I know I'm not going mad and I was right to check before we even considered eating any of the pods phew!

        Diatheplant- my pea 'seeds' are a couple of years old and I got them from Alan Romans. I have never actually bought any sweetpeas. Occasionally my mother grows too many sweetpeas and passes on her extras but not this year. All the pea 'seeds' I have left look just like they are supposed to look....like dried peas as opposed to the smaller brown balls that are sweetpea seeds. That's the bit that has had me mightily confused because I know that wherever they've come from I haven't planted them.
        In the words of the early eighties legend Toyah 'Itsth a mystery, oh itsth a mystery'
         
      • JWK

        JWK Gardener Staff Member

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        Yes they are Sweet Peas! How very strange Cathy, somehow the seed must have been swapped. Have you any left in the packets?
         
      • cathysue

        cathysue Gardener

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        Yes JWK I do have some seeds left......they all look like dried peas. I think I'll throw them as they are a couple of years old and the germination rate wasn't brilliant (especially if they managed to transform themselves into sweetpeas lol!)
         
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