- Location
- Lincolnshire
Madness? Always fancied growing peas but maple peas always looked so pretty. Any growers on here with any hints beyond "don't"?
Maple Peas & Tic Beans
- Thread starter teslacoils
- Start date
- Location
- South Lincs
We grow maple peas. A variety called Rose which is used for the human consumption market in particular (exported to Japan I believe) and also possibly the pigeon feed market. There is another variety called Mantara which is slightly higher yielding but doesn't seem to be the one the buyers want.
Agronomically they are pretty much the same as any other type of combining pea be it large blue or marrowfat so they have the same pros and cons. Rose has pink flowers.
The last 3 years have been very disappointing for peas and yields averaging only about 1.25/acre but prior to that we had 2 consecutive years where they yielded over 2t/acre.
Usual cons with peas - not suited to wet, heavy land, pigeons love them, yield can be very variable and can be an absolute pig to combine (this year being a prime example!) I do know of one crop that was disced in this season. Combining wont be helped by the loss of diquat next year either as that was good for burning off any weeds. Weed control is limited but very slightly better than for spring beans. If it's really dry and the pre-emergence (Nirvana) doesn't do much of a job then it's a problem as it just leaves Basagran and MCPB.
The yield of maples is usually similar to marrowfats. We prefer them as you use less seed (roughly around 225kg/ha vs 300kg/ha) and as you don't have to pay the BIPO levy on top the seed is cheaper too. As they are brown they hopefully don't have the same risk of bleaching / staining as a blue or marrowfat. Rose are alo fairly early and often ready just before wheat. They (and all peas) hate wet feet so delaying drilling is recommended.
They are valuable - contracts around £340-350/ton. A niche market - I wouldn't recommend growing them without a contract. That said I do know a merchant who is looking for more growers for next season!
Agronomically they are pretty much the same as any other type of combining pea be it large blue or marrowfat so they have the same pros and cons. Rose has pink flowers.
The last 3 years have been very disappointing for peas and yields averaging only about 1.25/acre but prior to that we had 2 consecutive years where they yielded over 2t/acre.
Usual cons with peas - not suited to wet, heavy land, pigeons love them, yield can be very variable and can be an absolute pig to combine (this year being a prime example!) I do know of one crop that was disced in this season. Combining wont be helped by the loss of diquat next year either as that was good for burning off any weeds. Weed control is limited but very slightly better than for spring beans. If it's really dry and the pre-emergence (Nirvana) doesn't do much of a job then it's a problem as it just leaves Basagran and MCPB.
The yield of maples is usually similar to marrowfats. We prefer them as you use less seed (roughly around 225kg/ha vs 300kg/ha) and as you don't have to pay the BIPO levy on top the seed is cheaper too. As they are brown they hopefully don't have the same risk of bleaching / staining as a blue or marrowfat. Rose are alo fairly early and often ready just before wheat. They (and all peas) hate wet feet so delaying drilling is recommended.
They are valuable - contracts around £340-350/ton. A niche market - I wouldn't recommend growing them without a contract. That said I do know a merchant who is looking for more growers for next season!
- Location
- Lincolnshire
I'd be growing them on some bodied, but well drained soil. Plough and press in autumn. Drill straight in late spring. Think I'll give them a whirl on a field.
Any alternatives for dessication?
Any alternatives for dessication?
- Location
- South Lincs
I'm fairly sure various different makes of glyphosate are approved. We've always used Reglone though as it's so much quicker. They are a crop that you want to get in the shed asap really. Whilst maples don't bleach like blues or marrowfats if you get a wet spell in the first half of August as we did this year they will just get flatter and flatter to the floor. Not that Rose stand any worse than other varieties of peas (we grew a blue called Prophet and have also tried the marrowfat Sakura). It's just the nature of the crop.
- Location
- Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
As far as I can see there isn't any Rose in seed multiplication this year or Mantara which is another maple variety. Minerva is the old variety which is probably favoured by the pigeon trade, but again I cannot confirm that available but it may be being produced outside the certification scheme..
Either way I would make early enquiries from your seed merchant as to what might be available.
Either way I would make early enquiries from your seed merchant as to what might be available.
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Enquiries have been made.
- Location
- South Lincs
Ours are grown for Askew & Barrett (via merchant). I am told that Paddy Barrett is looking for a few more Rose growers for next season.
shakerator
Member
- Location
- LINCS
I am harvesting Maris bead tomorrow
- Location
- Lincolnshire
I harvested Maris Bead for a neighbour for quite a few years. He never bought new seed. Some years 1/4 ton per acre, some years 1.5 t.
I don't know if they are the same as tic beans but we grew tic beans here before I went to primary school. I developed a taste for them straight out of the pod and would disappear up the field to graze on them while they were still soft. Loved them.
I don't know if they are the same as tic beans but we grew tic beans here before I went to primary school. I developed a taste for them straight out of the pod and would disappear up the field to graze on them while they were still soft. Loved them.