Pea Alderman | Maincrop Pea

A tall, heavy-cropping heirloom pea which produces peas suitable for eating fresh or for drying and storage. The flowers are white and develop into pods containing up to 10 peas each. Enjoy as mature plump pods or as early mange-tout like beans earlier on, 'Alderman' is a sweet-tasting, dependable variety popular since the 1890s. Growing instructions: Make a broad flat-bottomed drill 5cm deep and 10cm wide and place the peas in a double row, Protect from mice and slugs. If growing in containers, sow about 10 seeds to a 35cm pot. If support is needed, poke short twiggy peasticks in among the plants as they grow. Guttering is an ideal container for early sowings: make drainage holes, then fill with compost and sow in rows. Plant outside by sliding the complete row into the ground without disturbing the roots. Sow: March to May Harvest: June to August