Sow peas in loo-roll tubes

Economise with space and money by sowing pea and bean plants in toilet-ro/I midd/es.

Time to sow: spring

The cardboard middles of toilet rolls make perfect biodegradable pots for deep-rooting legumes. Peas and beans are large and fast-growing plants, and they need plenty of root room to develop properly. They also hate cold soil and can germinate very patchily if sown directly into the ground early in the season.

Start early peas off indoors in early spring, and save money and space by using toilet-roll tubes instead of traditional plastic pots, which are wider and not as deep. Fill each tube with compost and plant one or two peas about 2.5cm (1in) deep.

Grow on until large enough to plant out, then harden off by putting the plants outside on warmer days, bringing them back in at night. Plant out without removing their tubes, as these wili quickly rot away in the soil. Use twiggy sticks or netting to support the plants as they grow.

Good varieties include pea 'Feltham First'. which is an early variety; 'Sugar Snap‘, which produces sweet pods that can be left to form peas.

TIP In mild areas. sow peas outdoors in autumn to overwinter for next season. Protect with cloches if the weather turns bitterly cold.