When is the right time to put netting on pea plants? As soon as possible! I’ll tell you straight away that traditional methods involve using nets made from dry tree branches or reeds, but honestly, netting is more convenient, easy to find and can be reused for other crops in the future.
As soon as the peas ‘feel and see’ the net, they start climbing! Yes, you read that correctly! It’s as if peas have eyes to see as soon as you put the net on.
When the seedlings reach approximately one palm’s width above the ground, you can begin staking them. The main thing to focus on is installing stakes at the beginning and end of each row, well buried and anchored if possible.
The best posts are definitely made of iron, but alternatively, wooden posts with a fairly large cross-section (8/10 cm) are perfect. At the desired height, i.e. the height of your net, stretch a wire as taut as possible parallel to the ground, starting from the post at the beginning of the row and ending at the post at the end of the row. Attach the net to this wire using plastic ties or small pieces of wire covered with paper, bearing in mind that the plants will be heavy once they are in full production, so you will need at least one fastening per metre, if not more. For added security and convenience during harvesting, but also to help the plants grow better, you can place a cane to hold the net in place every 2 metres. This will help to reduce flapping in the wind. At this point, the support system is complete and you only need to help the plants climb to their best each week. In fact, you need to gently guide the seedlings into the mesh frames, then the seedlings themselves will be able to climb by putting out small “arms”.
Remember that pea varieties can essentially be divided into three categories, each of which may require a specific trellis height, namely:
– Dwarf peas, no trellis required
– Half-climbing peas, 120 cm to 150 cm trellis
– Climbing peas, 170 cm trellis or higher
There are white or green nets, but I assure you that it doesn’t matter. The important thing is to buy a net with a 10x10cm mesh, but if you can’t find one, don’t worry, they will adapt. There is no need to buy huge reels of netting to make a few metres because you can find pre-packaged sizes in agricultural shops or you can ask for the desired length to be cut for you.
My name is Francesca and I am 33 years old. I like to share my life in the countryside in a simple and spontaneous way, just as this adventure began.
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