PEA SHOOTS HERE WE COME

You can grow pea shoots, or dou miao as we know it in Asia, with practically any types of peas. Sugar snaps and snow peas are the easiest to grow and they are the quickest too.

• Young pea shoots are tasty and make a great side salad
• Cut the shoots off when they’re young and they’ll keep coming back for more
• Alternatively, leave the shoots to grow into full plants and pluck the fresh peas straight from the pods.

COMPLETE GROWING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pea seeds are popular with mice, voles and a host of birds, so it’s best to get them started indoors.
2. Half fill a seed tray with compost.
3. Sow about 50 seeds evenly across the surface, fill the tray to the top with compost, water carefully and place on a windowsill.
4. As soon as the seedlings emerge you can plant them out in the garden. To do this make a shallow trench in the soil about 2 inches deep and 6 inches wide and carefully place the sprouted seeds roughly an inch apart along the trench.
5. Carefully place soil over the top and gently press it down. Water the seedlings.
6. When the plants are about 5 inches tall cut off the shoots to leave about an inch of stem. These will reshoot so you can enjoy them again and again.

Alternative method: you can leave the shoots to grow into full-sized plants and harvest plump pods of peas. To do this you will need to use canes and netting. Learn more at Garden Organic.