How to start growing pea shoots
You can grow pea shoots, this is a very easy method.
Buy some peas to sow
Firstly don’t use normal garden pea seed, it may have been treated with chemicals and it won’t have been tested for salmonella.
Buy sprouting seeds it will have been tested for salmonella.
Germinating
The secret is warmth keep the seeds at 20 degrees (room temperature) and they will germinate quickly.
Soak the seeds in warm water overnight, don’t let them stand for more than one day or they will rot.
Growing
Spread the seeds out into a tray or you can use a punnet or seed tray, make sure there is some drainage, if the seeds stand in water they will rot.
After spreading the seeds out, we sprinkle a small amount of perlite over them, it helps to keep them moist and can stop disease spreading.
Cover the tray with polythene clear or black this will protect the tender new roots, the peas can be kept in the dark just check them regularly. leave the cover on until the pea shoots develop, this takes about a week. Water them every day, making sure excess water is drained away.
When the shoots are about 1-2cm long they need to be moved in good sunlight, a windowsill or heated greenhouse. You could also grow them inside using LED lights.
How long will they take to grow?
In the summer when it is nice and hot they can be ready in 2 weeks. In the winter we find it takes about 3 weeks.
Watering
Keep them watered, this should be every day allowing excess water to drain away, we also include a weak plant feed.
When are they ready?
They take 2 to 3 weeks to grow You can eat them when they are about 4-5 cm long and the leaves have developed, you can eat the tendrils as well, the leaves have a pleasant pea taste and are super tender.
Pick using a plucking action rather than cutting, and the new shoots will develop. To keep a regular supply sow them every 2-3 weeks.
