This year I grew mangetout – golden sweet. I bought them by mistake. I did want mangetout, but I usually grow a variety that grows around 2-3ft tall. When I got home – I sowed the mangetout straight away. It was only afterwards that I read the back of the packet of seeds. I was slightly suprised to read that this variety actually grows up to 7ft or 210cm tall!

As they started growing I gave them some plastic covered netting with a couple of stacks at each end to keep them upright. They grew around 4 ft tall before they started flowering and producing the beautiful mangetout. So I have been able to keep control of them. Personally I would have found it hard if they had really grown to 7ft only because I had used up all my bamboo stick on the runner beans and french beans.

Mangwetouts are sown exactly the same way as peas. So click here to read more on how to sow them.

They are however a very nice mangetout and they have the most striking purpley/mauve flowers. The mangetout pods are also gorgeous – they are a yellow-golden colour and they are very tasty. You can eat them either raw and steamed.

You can sow them from march to June and they are heavy croppers, which crop over a long time. Personally I thoroughly recommend them.