The Leaning Tower Of Peas
Hairy bittercress*
Sheesh. It’s been a busy old week and I am cream crackered. Still, it’s Friday. Wine night. It could be worse.
We have been trying to get the veggie garden ready for planting. I don’t know how the weeds manage it but some, like the Hairy bittercress* above, are flowering already and getting ready to seed. This is bad news. The lightest touch or gentle breeze is enough to propel their progeny up to a metre from the parent plant. Once you have it you will never be without it. The bloomin’ stuff is everywhere.
![Raised beds 001 Wm[1]](https://i1.wp.com/www.rustyduck.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Raised-beds-001-Wm1.jpg?resize=1024%2C685&ssl=1)
But we have made progress.
I’d better admit it’s the royal ‘we’ with respect to the new raised beds. I love to see them looking like this, so full of promise for the season ahead. Only one thing is better and that is to have them groaning with delicious things to eat.
![Nematodes 001 Wm[1]](https://i0.wp.com/www.rustyduck.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Nematodes-001-Wm1.jpg?resize=1024%2C685&ssl=1)
The nematodes are out of the fridge. And not before time. Veggie patch preparation got completed just two days ahead of their use-by date. Whilst Mike may be breathing a big sigh of relief he has clearly forgotten that I actually signed up for a two part programme.. in three weeks’ time a further batch will arrive. Trouble is, as I was late applying the first lot, the second will need temporary storage facilities too.
They look like fine, if slightly damp, wholemeal breadcrumbs. I simply carved up the mixture and sprayed it on to each bed in turn. 30 million nematodes unleashed on a seek and destroy mission for slugs, not that I was counting.
But what of the peas?
Last year I used bamboo canes tied into wigwams as the method of support. And it was a nightmare. The plants grow wider as they get taller, the conical structure operates in reverse. After several weeks of flopping about in the wind the whole thing collapsed. It needs a Plan B.
There are plenty of neat solutions available to buy, with a pretty price tag too. I thought we could construct something and drew out a rough plan. Mike used poles left over from the gabion and some old stock fencing we also had spare.
![Pea supports 002 Wm[1]](https://i2.wp.com/www.rustyduck.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Pea-supports-002-Wm1.jpg?resize=1024%2C685&ssl=1)
So should I have drawn attention to the fact that the nearest support was leaning over to one side?
Apparently not. Toys were seen to depart the pram and there was talk of dismantling and rebuilding from scratch. Thankfully Mike is never in a huff for long and over lunch a compromise was found. I would bring to bear my not inconsiderable weight, now enhanced by half a pizza and a banana, and he would hammer in a wedge.
Perfick.
*EDIT: As it turns out, ours is actually the very similar Wavy bittercress. It’s all in the number of stamens apparently. Under a magnifying glass the plants also have hairs on the lower stems whereas Hairy bittercress, ironically, does not.
Those beds look beautiful all ready for seedlings…or seeds…
Great job by Mike….great to have a handyman on site!
If weather stays good, our veggies can go in by the end of May….
Have a great weekend Jessica…..have a glass of wine for me….Merlot, please♥️
Cheers!
Linda :o)
He enjoys making things. In this house it’s a very useful thing to have!
After a day’s hard graft it has to be a chilled Chardonnay. It’s sitting there, in the now nematode free fridge, waiting for me. On the dot of 7.00 p.m…
Goodness your hairy bitter cress is almost like a crop – in fact I think you can eat it! You made me chuckle about the pea supports – hope the half pizza and banana worked.
It made all the difference!
wow those veg beds are great Jessica, interesting the pea post is, sorry was, leaning before you opened the wine 😉 great job from Mike, enjoy your wine night, Frances,
sorry forgot to say, I have hairy bittercress too, it’s a real pain, it seems to be the earliest weed to flower and continue until the cold of winter, like you say the seedpods fire the seed some distance, if they don’t ping you in the eye first, good luck with it,
I hope the nematodes work wonders, Frances
They always do manage to find an eye don’t they? It’s spread over the bank too. I will never get all of it before it seeds. At least it’s easy to pull out.
I was admiring your raised beds and then saw your wonderful pea structures. Hmmm, I think I shall leave the laptop tuned to your blog when Mick gets in from work.
It was actually quite easy to construct in the end. Just get the posts straight at the start! And even better was being able to use materials we already had, apart from the bits of wood to go across the top which couldn’t have cost much.
Wonderful raised beds, and excellent pea fencing which looks as if it should prove very successful. We planted our runner beans today, may be wishful thinking on our part, but we are off soon, and they would go mad indoors. Always try another lot if they fail.
According to Roger Phillips Wild Food book, Hairy Bittercress is the first worthwhile edible plant of the year – an annual herb – the leaves can be beaten from October to May. In his book he shows it used in a cheese sandwich.
That’s really interesting, thanks Rosemary. I hadn’t realised until today that it could be eaten. Before I put it in a cheese sandwich though I need to make sure I’ve made the correct ID. The absence of hairs is worrying…
Mine doesn’t have any hairs either – I think that it must be a bit of a misnomer. I have just looked it up in my Wildflower Eyewitness – (this plant has hairless stems – the lower leaves from a basal rosette. The alternate, pinnate leaves have up to 5 pairs of leaflets which are hairy on the upper surface); So it is the leaves that are hairy, I think that you have identified it correctly.
Sorry should read form a basal……
We have just inspected a piece under Mike’s magnifying glass and have come to the conclusion that ours is Bald Bittercress!
Hairy Bittercress, we have loads of that as well! We admire your beds, on how neat and ordered it is, as well as the new pea supports which looks very sturdy. Superb work guys!
Thanks! I can understand how that plant has become so ubiquitous, it is supremely well adapted.
Now, I could come over all ecologist here and say a weed is just a wildflower in the wrong place…but before you throw your trowel at me I think I’ll just say: marvellous pea support- have you thought of mass production and marketing to Waitrose, as they now have a garden bit attached to the shops?
CT, if you would like more ‘wildflowers’ in your garden you only need to ask. A ton of Hairy Bittercress could be winging its way to you, gratis. Okehampton branch has a garden bit, as Em will know. It seems a bit of a strange concept to me, but we did buy our Christmas tree there last year.
The very mention of Hairy Bittercress had me sneering and snarling. My nemesis….
Mine too… One year seeding, seven years weeding?
We have Hairy Bittercress here too in the American PNW. A horrible weed, even the tiniest one will go to seed quickly, and the sight of it strikes fear in my heart. I have one corner of my garden where I still haven’t pulled this year’s and they are enormous. I avert my eyes whenever I am in that area. Your pea trellises are gorgeous. Some husbands are such perfectionists. Mine likes helping me lift and move heavy stuff, but is not much of a builder. Lucky you.
It was me being the perfectionist in this case. The trouble is, with the garden being on such a slope you see things from unusual angles. It did look a bit odd from below!
Hairy bittercress is a complete & utter pain. It’s the tiny plants that you don’t get that grow blinking huge overnight. You’ve reminded me by mentioning nematodes that I haven’t placed my order yet
I preordered the nematodes this year. I was hoping to get them applied whilst the slugs were still small thinking that would be more effective. But I didn’t make it. There are slugs of horror movie proportions around already.
I puzzled for a bit over the red ‘leaning tower’ in your first photograph….I’m a bit slow sometimes! It all looks wonderfully ship shape.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to confuse! It does look ship shape at this time of year and I always have such high hopes… but somewhere around July it all starts to look a bit of a mess.
Hi Jessica, at least the Hairy Bittercress is a pretty weed :-)! Your raised vegetable beds look fantastic, can’t wait to see what you are planting in them and how your crop comes along. I think that is really cool that you are using nematodes to fight off the slugs. Your cracked me up with the way you explained the use of your body weight to straighten out the pea climbing structure. Everything comes in handy at the right time ;-)! Have a lovely weekend!
Christina
Thanks Christina. The nematodes are not 100% effective but they do reduce the numbers. After our mild wet winter I fear we will be inundated this year.
We found hazel sticks really good pea supports last year. Luckily we have two mature hazels and so a plentiful supply.
They are certainly the best looking solution. I was hoping that by growing the peas near vertically I would need less space and they would be easier to pick. Time will tell!
Great pea supports, leaning or not! It’s a good job you haven’t given up wine for Lent, isnt it?
I have given it up on weekdays (except Friday) for weight loss and the good of my health!
Lol….poor Mike, I’d have thrown my rattle out too! They look marvelous, now for the peas. The raised beds look great too! Enjoy the wine….I shall join you about ten pm!xxx
First lot of peas ready to plant out.. just waiting for the nights to get a bit warmer!
Hairy Bittercress? So that’s what it is. Mine is even in flower up here – am doing some serious weeding tomorrow. I had heard of nematodes for the greenhouse, but didn’t know you could get it for the flower beds too.
Having read this morning the definitive work ‘Bittercresses for Beginners’ I learn that the best way of identifying it is to establish the number of stamens. So I hot-footed it outside once again with magnifying glass only to find that the flowers are all closed because it is cloudy. Maybe later…
I love the nice neat beds ready for all of the planting. I took a photo of mine today – mostly empty, almost tidy. Love the pea supports, I could do with some of these. I’ve eaten a pizza in readiness. Last year I had some string construction which worked, but only after a fashion.
Peas seem to have a mind of their own which makes controlling them something of a challenge. Pizza makes all the difference though!
Hairy bittercress – I know it well Jessica and have been battling against it all week at the allotment. No wine to sustain me until tomorrow. Love those cleared beds and the pea frames. You will probably sleep well tonight but if not you could always count nematodes!
Three million and one, three million and two…. zzzzzz
Ah, the curse of the hairy bitter curse, I mean, cress. I hate the stuff, we get it all the time, I pull it up, it comes up again! I think that stuff is following me! The veg beds and pea supports look great though! xx
They go so quickly from nothing through flowering to seed, if you have a large area of it it is almost impossible to keep up.
Looking good! The hairy bitter cress is a pain in the patoot! Just brushing them sends those seeds flying! I’ve even had them in my eye! We are far from getting beds ready here. Maybe just for peas and lettuce.
Too cold for anything else.
I think they must have a homing instinct for eyes.
Still getting chilly nights here which makes me think I should be holding off for a bit. The peas and some mizuna are all in the cold frame though, ready to go.
I love how honest and real your posts are. 🙂 I actually thought hairy bittercress was an English food, at first, and kept imagining a mouth full of hairy leaves. So glad no one’s eating it! I think those veg teepees are overrated and designed to only hold vines of fake plants used in ads. I’m quite suspicious of them.
I’ve certainly found veg teepees frustrating in the extreme. The plan is to grow beans up the same sort of support as the peas although we’ll make those a bit higher.
Of course, once you develop a taste for the Hairy Stuff, it will all die back and never be seen again …. well, you can live in hope!!
It’s almost worth trying it!
Hope all’s well in NZ.
Oh so clever title. I think the new pea structure looks splendid. I’ll be interested to see if it works well. Your raised veggie beds look marvelous and I hope you have lots of summer “yummies” from them. Hugs, Natalie 🙂
It’s a bit of an experiment, we shall see. On my morning tour of inspection I shall poke wayward shoots into the structure and hope to keep them growing as close to the wire as possible. Should make picking a lot easier too.
I had to google it…I’ve never seen hairy bittercress here. We just have the standard thistles, chickweed, etc.
Apparently a common way of getting it in the garden is via plants bought in pots. It then rapidly colonises any patch of bare ground. That’s my problem I think, with all the ground I’ve been clearing over the last couple of years I’ve created the ideal conditions.
I am glad you sorted out your leaning pea support! I haven’t even though about how I am going to support my peas this year. I hope some bamboo canes will suffice!
If you don’t want too much of a structure I’d go for pea sticks. The more ‘branches’ they have the better as that helps to support the plants. A wigwam doesn’t really work, unless maybe you tie the canes in the middle and make more of a X shape, then there is something to support them when they get top heavy.
I’m filled with envy (I try not to give into it too much) at the sight of those raised beds. Must show the pictures to my husband. I’m plagued with hairy bittercress as well and am glad I stopped by just for the Roger Philips tip. Long may your peas flourish this year.
At least I now know we never need go hungry in this house! I have yet to try it though… the ‘bitter’ must be there for a reason..
Hairy bittercress is an absolute menace, I think the seeds of it are already in the plant pots when we buy new plants, we will never get rid of it. At least the undergardener knows which it is so I can safely leave him pulling it out!
Your pea netting looks very professional, congratulations to both of you!
As soon as new perennial shoots have become a bit easier to spot, and therefore less likely to be trodden on, I shall be deploying the undergardener as well.
I love your raised beds. We have been doing the same thing here, at least the Pianist has. I might copy your pea climbing structure but on the other hand I may be pushing my luck to expect any more construction work here ever. The moans and groans and curses and general air of martyrdom that were a daily accompaniment to the job makes me suspect that it may not be a good idea to suggest it. He thinks his job was hard work but I am trying to fill the raised beds. You don’t mention that. They are bottomless pits. I’ve taken to raiding neighbours’ brown bins put out for the council and stealing their grass cuttings.
We had to cut into the hillside to build the raised beds, which gave us a lot of the soil. Although the further we dug in the more it turned to stony clay and not of much use. It’s seriously hard work… getting the next one done is going to take a lot of persuasion.
I can just see your story in the press come the silly season. Let me know if I need to organise a blog whip round for bail money 🙂
You have both been very busy and deserve that glass of wine! Your raised beds look wonderful and the pea supports too. Interesting to see the nematodes, I’ve never seen them before:)
They are peculiar aren’t they. But whatever substrate they are in dissolves in water so they’re easy to apply with the recommended spray attachment for the hose. The problem now is keeping them watered. Where is rain when you need it!
All looking good and I think Mike has done a great job with the pea supports.
Thanks Oma. At least they are solid.. no more floppy peas!
Those big beds do look wonderful – but you’re right, they’ll be better when they are full of things to eat :} Mike’s pea frames are terrific; imitation being the sincerest form of flattery (and all that), I may just have to pinch your idea.
We are planning the same for beans, but a bit higher.
This will involve Mike standing on a ladder to bash in the poles. Given what happened last time (£200 bill after he fell and partially demolished the fruit cage) I am naturally viewing it with some trepidation.
Mike’s alternative pea fence looks fantastic,just hope the squirrels aren’t to impressed with their new climbing frame too! Sarah x
Noooooo!!! Why didn’t I think of that 🙁
Have you counted the stamens yet? How did it go?
I’ve eaten young hairy bitter cress leaves, they’re peppery but not bitter, a bit like rocket. I believe you can also cook them as you would spinach but that I never tried. This was all years ago, when I was experimenting with wild foods.
Well, I’ve just done it. Six stamens. If that’s the case and ‘Bittercress for Beginners’ is to be believed, it means I have Wavy bittercress. It would explain the absence of hairs. Although it isn’t especially wavy either. Unless it means waving in the wind..
EDIT: Actually they do have hairs, on the lower stems. Hairy bittercress, ironically, does not.
what an impressive crop of hairy bittercress you have!!! (I’ve become somewhat enamoured with weeds lately—giving a mini-talk on them at garden club next week!!! They can be so pretty—if they just weren’t quite so invasive and adaptive!!!) love the veggie beds….brilliant solution to the pea problem!
I shall have an even more impressive crop later in the year because on the bank they’re all going to seed, can’t keep up 🙁
The beds and the pea supports look great! Having spent much of the weekend weeding, I wish you lots of luck with defeating the bittercress and getting ahead of those flying seeds.
I was interested to see what the nematodes looked like close up. They look strange, but not that off-putting.
I thought the same about the nematodes. Obviously you can’t see them. But the medium is not unpleasant to work with. Unless of course you manage to splash it in your eye, which I have done in the past..
Looking forward to seeing those beds full of bloom.
That’s when all the hard work starts to bear fruit. Or veg!
Jessica, 3 potatioes per bag, like direction on the bags. It seems enaugh, I think. The others I put in the raised bed. Sigrun
Thanks Sigrun. Three sounds about right to me too. Good luck with yours!
One year’s seeding is seven years’ weeding …… just saying!!
Tell me about it… 🙁
Now that is what I call a pea support – built to last – none of those little pea sticks! Brilliant job. We have all year round bittercress in Scotland – just when you think you are on top of it all another generation springs up. I could have borders made up of Bittercress, wild fuschia, hypericum, montbretia, pink campion, that clover like stuff and bramble – oh and nettle – really no need to spend money on plants!!
Brilliant for wildlife too…
We found this method of support to work the best too and had a bumper crop last year when we tried it out on the French Beans for the first time. A smaller tilted frame works well for Cucumber plants too and makes sure that the cucumbers stay off the soil (and if you’re nifty you can plant a little crop under the slant too, so wasting no space). 🙂
It’s nice to have a handyman isn’t it, even if we do have to throw our weight behind them occasionally 😉
Oooh, I like your cucumber idea!
Love the raised beds, they do indeed look perfect. I have a plague of Hairy Bittercress too, filled 2 trugs with it yesterday, more to get rid of today. All thanks to Project Kitchen which took over my life last year at the crucial time, resulting in the current plague. Gah. Your pea supports look very robust, I too had a disaster with pea supports last year, all collapsed, and I have a Cunning Plan… We’ll see…
Looking forward to your cunning plan Baldrick… it’s all a bit experimental for me, this veg gardening lark. Eventually I might hit on something that actually works.
I love all the experimenting, though I get a bit Heath Robinson at times! Veg gardening certainly teaches you to be chilled, or you go nuts when seedlings get munched, dug up by blackbirds, blown away…
I am still at the ‘nuts’ stage…