I started these pea shoots from dried (Marrow fat) peas just under two weeks ago indoors. I soaked them overnight first, and they germinated in a coolish room within a few days. Their counterparts sown in my mini greenhouse outside haven’t appeared as yet, so this a great indoor way to supplement bought lettuces for a really tasty salad. (Here’s a quick ‘how to’ sow pea shoots if you haven’t had a go before).
They are a tad on the leggy side, but still taste delicious and I’m just off to sow another batch. With warmer weather and longer days, I’ll be sowing lettuce and mustard leaf seeds outside in my mini greenhouse too, but with heavy frosts still coating roofs in the morning, it may be a while yet before these seeds really get going.
Outside, without any protection, my winter lettuces gave up the ghost in January, but Red Knight Mizuna, planted in August, has happily made it through the winter months. Although soon to be going to seed, it’s still supplying deliciosly mild mustardy leaves.
Red Giant Mustard leaves sown in September didn’t really get growing to any stature, but now they really pack a hot mustardy punch. Great for adding (sparingly) to salads with other leaves or perfect for a stir fry.
And as these winter leaves reach the end of their growing season, I can’t wait to get started sowing again.
Out of my shed 