I am in south Vienne(86). The variety of pea is Pois Téléphone à Rames. I don’t give them any protection from the weather not necessary.
1 Like
My hens have whole peas in their grain, they don’t eat them so I regularly have fine crops of peas all over the place where they have scattered - I like eating pea sprouts when they have about 3 pairs of leaves (and so do the hens) but in spite of that many plants go on to have pods with nice enough peas in them.
1 Like
OK so after erroneously driving all the way to Perigueux in peak hour traffic for an appointment which was this morning not this afternoon 
(he had a cancellation tomorrow evening so have to go back again!!) I went to the agricultural co-op. I got a bag of shalots, red and white onions. I also got some lettuce seedlings and 6 cauliflowers. Last time I trued them it was a disaster and I said never again! Any tips? @Wozza ??
Also right out in the aisle they had feves which said I can plant now but don’t know if I like them. Next to them were a variety of peas which said spring planting but I wonder why they were there? This far south maybe I can plant them? They weren’t the variety mentioned by @PeterNorway . Where did you buy yours,?
1 Like
Try Gamm Vert in Berg, I don’t imagine there’s much difference between the Pgx and Berg ag coops
1 Like
Yes, one or two…
Onions, shallots.
Before planting mix into the ground sprinkle few hand fulls of blood fish & bone just rake it in.
After planting the onion / shallots sets put a row cover over them, 1 to stop pesky birds pulling them up 2 to protect them a bit. You can always leave this on & adjust when they are growing.
Peas, you’ve got them now so give it a go after all, if growing in the wild they’d just get on with it, so worth a punt. I’d do the same with the onions & keep an eye out because mice love digging them up and eating them, same with broad beans, (fèves).
Lettuce I’d cover them too if you can.
I bought mine from Villaverdé ou Weldom.
1 Like
I bought the peas from the local Agriflor garden centre in L’isle Jourdain. They are in the garage I will check tomorrow and find the seed company name.
1 Like
Nice having another gardener on here.
Just out of interest what else have you growing at the mo.
My aim is to be fully self-sufficient in veg next year.
Try them! Young fèves are a lovely salad delicacy, and there’s loads of good online recipes for older ones - I particularly like them sautéed with soft chorizo, then some finely shredded leeks and a tiny drop (apologies @Mik_Bennett) of chicken stock.
4 Likes
Hi Wozza. We had a very large allotment in the uk before we moved to France. I thought I knew about growing veg but I have had to learn again, seasons and climate are quite different here. We are currently growing broadbeans, peas, onions, garlic, carrots, leeks, parsnips. We have artichoke and rhubarb. All types of herbs. I grow new potatoes in the spring but gave up with late potatoes because of lack of water/rain. Lots to do.
1 Like
Hi Peter,
I live in the Movan Burgundy, a climate different to yours colder in Winter early Spring.
I have 2 small home gardens (scroll up & you’ll find them) & have taken on another for a project, & I also needed more space to become self sufficient in onions to complete my goal to home self sufficiency in veg.
Lacking space this year I grew all my potatoes in containers, 1st earlies, second earlies and lates, best harvest I’ve had here, though the lates Desiré were ready in IIRC eary August, nice spud too. Easy to water but didn’t need to do much this year.
For next Spring / eary Summer, I have planted / sown, garlic, onions, Spring onions, shallots, broad beans, chard, spinach & Winter lettuce.
I’m setting up a Winter garden in the cellar for a bit of an experiment also to get an early start for Spring,(I don’t have a greenhouse, but hey hey I do have a cellar) I’ll put up a few photos when it’s set up.
As you say Lots to do!
Any questions pls post, I’m sure someone here can give advice.
1 Like
@PeterNoway Or indeed if you have advice / experience to give that would be very welcome.
2 Likes
If you were Scottish, you might say “a tottie drap” but it would be just as meaningless. For the Internationalists amongst us, according to ChatGPT, a drop is 0.05 grams but I suspect you mean a tad more than that! About 2.5 billionth of an Olympic swimming pool. Just make sure it is outside the range of your windscreen wiper.
Edit:- apologies to gardeners, bit of a drift from another thread.
1 Like
I took your advice last year and planted garlic at end of October. I ended up with a stunning crop. I didn’t normally venture into garden before March so I am paying attention now.
1 Like
Thanks for the hints, particularly on the blood bone, I always foget to add fertiliser, other than a bit of compost if I have it. What’s it called in French? Ditto for the covers, not tried that before. I haven’t yet bought the peas, not sure I’ve got time to worry tbh. It’s the cauliflowers I’m worried about though as never been able to grow them!
If you actually succeed, do let us know what you did! I’ve given up on them altogether 
Being somewhat further north than you @wozza and a very long way behind in the garden this year, is it too late for me to sow/plant e.g shallots & onions?
1 Like
Me too. What is the secret to growing cauliflowers?
1 Like
I did wonder whether, as with several crops these days, growing them under enviromesh their entire lives would reduce the predation level…
1 Like
We just harvested our sweet potatoes after our first light frost last night. Just under 7kg from 7 or 8 plants. 
@wozza @hairbear this is the plant bit. If I pot up these bits do you think they would work as slips for the spring?
3 Likes
What happens to your cauliflower? The problem is either the soil or pests (pests most likely as everything loves a brassica). If pests I may have a solution.
Onions / shallots sets shouldn’t be a problem if your soil drains well, if not wait til Spring. Afterall we plant in Autumn / early Winter to have stuff growing & hope to reap an earlier harvest.
1 Like
Well done Tory! Nice harvest 
I don’t know, I tried growing them this year but had no success I think due to the weather. IIWY I’d keep a one or two of the potatoes & get slips off next year. I’m a great believer in Darwinian agriculture, you could have a Toryoo strain adapted to your area in 50 yrs or so.
2 Likes