whether to pinch out tall peas

My Purple Magnolia tall snap peas have germinated well and are about 6" high and now I'm wondering whether to pinch out the tops to get more stems like you do with sweet peas. Any comments?

 

I haven't grown peas for a long time, I never pinched them out, I just let them get on with it.

 

Yes, I've never heard of it but I wonder why not? I'm tempted to pinch out a couple just to see what happens.

 

I’m from a farming family and when growing field peas they have always been rolled to break the growing tip which would be an equivalent of pinching out. Therefore whenever I’ve grown peas (not recently I must admit) I’ve always punched out the tip at about 6”.

Whether that results in a heavier crop I don’t know as I’ve not done a comparative study.

 

That's quite interesting @Dovefromabove . I only grow the Sugar Snap peas but I've never pinched out. I think I'll try it with a couple and see if it makes any difference crop wise.

 

Thinking further on this @Philippa … of course field peas are grown unsupported as ‘bushes’ so the farming way may be to produce stockier plants … whether this increases yield I don’t know … but I don’t think farmers would do something that negatively affected the yield.

 

I grew tall peas (Lord Leicester) a few years ago and didn't pinch them. If you have a lot of sparrows, then you'll need to protect them until they are about 18" tall. I tried peas many times over the years but always lost most of them early, which I assumed was slugs and woodpigeons, but I eventually put a trail camera out and caught a flock of sparrows eating the leaves!

Lord Leicester grow to about 6ft and have a very long flowering period, so also have a long cropping period and last well into the season.

 

@Dovefromabove I've not seen Pea crops round here but yes agree that a pea farmer isn't likely to do anything detrimental. Stockier plants all at the same height would also make it easier for picking by machine I suppose. At least I don't have to worry about that particular aspect

 

I pinched mine out about a week ago because they were getting tall but I didn't want to plant them out. The only thing I would consider isn't actually the top growth but what's happening in the pots. I don't think pinching out harms the plant in anyway but leaving it to long to plant can knock them back and increase the risk of pests, when they suffer transplant shock and their growth stagnates. If the roots are filling the pot it might be worth potting them on so they have time to bush out a little before you plant them.

 

Well I've pinched out some and left some so we'll see hopefully.

 

I only ever direct sowed and put sticks in for them to climb up, bit old fashioned I guess.
I dont think they are a valuable enough crop to mess around with too much TBH.