CompuServe Messages

Alison, I was trying to see what I could do about getting on good start on peas this year. We're in Durham, NC and I've found they need to be started in February to mature before its too hot but I've had problems with the seeds rotting (even treated ones). I've been wondering about soaking the seeds and consulted my Gardener's Index. Nat Gardener is shown as having articles on "pregerminating seeds" in Mar 87 and Oct 88 while Org Gardening is listed as having one on "harmful" in Feb. 87. The article in Org Gardening this year talks about starting them in peat pots but that sounds expensive. Do you have the Nat Gardener stories on hand and what do they say about pre-soaking – is it good or bad and if good, how long should they be soaked? I'm thinking of using the heater cables intended for use in cold-frames along a row. They would be less expensive than peat pots and could be used again. Any comments on this idea? Mike