Gardening expert Simon Akeroyd has shared an easy and affordable way to grow gourmet pea shoots at home in just 10 days. Known for his expertise and authoring 30 horticultural books, Simon recently demonstrated this technique on TikTok after purchasing a box of Batchelors’ Bigga dried marrowfat peas for just 90p from the supermarket.
In his step-by-step tutorial, Simon uses a small container, similar to the ones used for store-bought grapes. He starts by filling it with peat-free compost, then sprinkles a handful of dried peas on top. After adding another layer of compost, he places the container on a sunny windowsill, ideally above a radiator, to encourage growth.
In just four days, Simon’s time-lapse video shows pea shoots sprouting over an inch tall. By day 10, his “gourmet treat” of pea tendrils is ready for harvesting. Simon proudly calls them “delicious, healthy, and rare to find in shops.”
His TikTok post has sparked excitement among viewers. One user commented, “90p for a box full? That would cost £50 in seed packets!” Another was surprised by the potential of dried peas, saying, “I thought they were too processed to sprout again.”
Others were eager to try the method themselves. One user wrote, “I love pea shoots! I’ll definitely try this.” Another said, “I always thought pea shoots came from garden peas, not big ones. I’m going to try this!”
Simon also responded to a curious viewer who asked if the pea shoots could grow into full plants. “Yes, they would!” he said. “Last year, I made a video showing how to grow them into pods and produce peas.”
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) advises that now is the ideal time to start growing peas indoors, especially if the outdoor soil is too cold or wet. They recommend sowing peas indoors in February or March for an early start.
For best results, the RHS suggests filling small pots or trays with peat-free compost and sowing up to three seeds per pot, with each seed about 5cm deep. Alternatively, peas can be sown in guttering filled with compost, spaced 7.5cm apart, making it easier to transplant them outdoors once they are ready.
Peas usually take 11 to 16 weeks to fully mature, depending on the variety.
