My motto – try to grow something new each year – is proving well worth the effort.

I found the heritage seeds by chance and was taken by the description of the Carlin or Black peas. I try anything once, if it works, I’ll grow it again, if not – well nothing is lost really.

I decided to grow the peas in one of my net cages, I had cabbages there last year. It had to be protected, I could imagine what the pigeons would do with the tiny plants – a tasty breakfast for them!

The peas were slow to start but now are at least 6ft tall and because the cage keeps them in, they are well secured to the net. They’re doing extremely well and we shall have plenty to last the winter and have enough to plant next year.

I’ve picked a few pods and,  as the web page says, they are tasty fresh too.