Since we live in an urban setting, we're always looking for ways to grow plants successfully in containers or in a vertical format. They did so well, we were excited to try it out again this year and got things going by filling up the shallow chicken feeder bowls from last season with soil and planting seeds back in March:
Since starting the seeds in March, the peas began to sprout and it was time to give them some supports to crawl up in early April. While looking for our bamboo stakes and garden twine, we got the idea to try something new this year — upside down tomato cages as teepee supports:
We'd had a couple extras on hand and thought of the idea to turn them upside down based on the tomato cage holiday trees we made back in December.
After pushing the base down into the soil around the plants, tying off the top of the cage with some garden twine and pulling more twine down around the cage to offer more support, we were good to go:
Since securing the tomato cage supports in April, the pea plants have really taken off — here's how we looked in late April and early May:
It never gets old, season after season, watching how the viney tendrils of these pea plants just creep and crawl their way up the supports:
Just about two weeks ago, the plants began to sprout flowers and produce some of their first pea pods:
Here's the most recent shot we've gotten of their progress out on our back landing — growing quickly, producing more flowers and fattening up the already maturing pods. The tomato cage teepees still seem to be a good height and support — so far, so good:
It sure is starting to look like spring pea season around here!
We can't wait to start cooking with these guys. I'm especially looking forward to Tim whipping up another batch of his spring peas in ricotta.
What have you got already flowering and fruiting in your garden this year? Any other plants you're excited about?
Great idea! I'm doing the same at my balcony, but it's at the beginning ;)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Madalena
I'm always fascinated by the growth of my garden! While we don't have anything flowering yet everything is growing very well. Our grapes are starting to climb and I'm so excited that our purple and red carrots seem to be doing well. It's the first time I've tried carrots so I didn't really know what to expect.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I'll bet that the cone shaped tomato cages would work better that way for the tomatoes too. Mine always get top heavy in the containers and fall over even with the cages. I'm going to try them this way!!
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