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Help! Have I made a terrible mistake?

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  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053
    Keep the canes in and plant through them. As long as you can get your hand through the gaps.
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • Thanks Hogweed!

  • Will that do, folks?  BTW, anybody like to comment on whether or not I should have a saucer under the pot? 🙂
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I would put the frame in first, then there’s no risk of poking at the roots.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • ThankthecatThankthecat Posts: 421
    Be aware that when they get to the top of those lovely little twiggy sticks they are unlikely to continue clinging to the canes and climbing up them. Their tendrils are too fine for that, so you either need to have something smaller all the way up (I've just this morning spent 15 minutes twining string round hazel tripods for this very reason) or tie them in as they grow taller. As for the saucer, I wouldn't have thought you'd want them standing in water, just give them a good drink when the compost is no longer moist. They are quite greedy plants - I give mine a liquid feed every couple of weeks. And keep deadheading them - pick them right out every couple of days if you can - and they'll flower for months :)
  • Great tips Thankthecat!  I think using twine on the canes is a great idea and Weill definitely do that. Perhaps some horizontal twine between canes as well. 
  • ThankthecatThankthecat Posts: 421
    Sorry, I wasn't very clear - that's what I meant, twining the strings horizontally between the support canes. You'll need them fairly close together near the bottom, and you might need to lift the peas up and tie them onto the string at first, but they soon get the hang of it. I've found a photo to show what I mean, except I would have the lower strings perhaps a bit closer together. Hope you can see it? 

    Image result for sweetpea support string round canes


  • Yes I can see it and thank you so much for all your tips!
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