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Sweet Peas Not Flowering

DrewMcGDrewMcG Posts: 21
in Plants
Hey folks, 

Disclaimer: I am a newbie to gardening. 

I sowed sweet pea seeds in early April and planted them out once the chance of frost passed last month.

I made a bamboo teepee in a pot and planted two seedlings to each stick. They've grown really well and I've them to give support.

The sweet peas are about one metre tall and show signs of more growth to come - but they aren't flowering yet. 

When should I expect them to be flowering and, if that time is now, how do I help them flower? I bought sweet peas because a friend told me they were great for beginners!

Any tips welcome! 

Best, 

Drew
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Posts

  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    I think you need to wait a bit longer... if you sow the seeds in spring they don't start flowering until July or even August, but will then carry on into the autumn, providing you pick the flowers to have in the house.  If you let them produce seed pods they'll stop flowering.  While you're waiting for the flowers, don't forget to water the plants.  Are they in a pot or the ground?  If in a pot they'll tend to dry out more, and also will need feeding.  Liquid tomato feed would be ideal, as it encourages flowers.   :)
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • DrewMcGDrewMcG Posts: 21
    Thanks @Liriodendron! They are in pots and I've made sure they are watered. I'll pick up some tomato feed for them when I'm next out. 
  • strelitzia32strelitzia32 Posts: 758
    Did you pinch out the growing tips? You should do that, it will give you branched growth and more flowers. Incidentally my sweet peas have been flowering for a few weeks now, can you see any signs of flower pods?
  • celcius_kkwcelcius_kkw Posts: 753
    I’m in a similar situation as you @DrewMcG



    They’re growing extremely vigorously but not a single flower bud in sight.. been fertilising with tomato feed for a few weeks.. 
  • AstroAstro Posts: 433
    Mine are the same,  l put it down to the hotter spring we had because all else was pretty much the same as last year.
  • celcius_kkwcelcius_kkw Posts: 753
    Some good news.. I’ve spotted what I believe are the first flower buds of my sweet peas.. i put it down to the hot and (finally) dry weather today..



    I wonder how much longer it would take for them to turn into actual flowers...
  • REMF33REMF33 Posts: 731
    Mine aren't flowering either and meanwhile my sugarsnaps are producing bi-colour flowers pretty enough to pick for a vase (except of course I won't be doing that). I had assumed that mine are recovering from having been sown a little too early in April and being ready to go out long before they did on the 17th May. (They went from being luxuriant in foliage to looking a bit shrivelled.) However last year I ordered plants from Sarah Raven June 11th. They were flowering by July 14th... Hopefully they will flower at some point.
    I saw some flowering in a public garden in Lewisham a month ago.
  • REMF33REMF33 Posts: 731
    p.s. this is my first time growing from seed.
  • REMF33REMF33 Posts: 731
    Well clearly this thread is doing the opposite of jinxing, as I just went outside and at least one of my plants has started flowering. I think this is Solway Serenade.


  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They won't normally flower until about July in Scotland if you sow in spring. Late June if conditions are good. Nothing to worry about  :)
    They'll only flower earlier if you sow in autumn and have suitable conditions for planting out in spring. I rarely do it, but I did some last year, and as we had freakishly warm weather in April and May, I had flowers early this month. First time since I've grown them - and I've been growing them for decades. 

    If you have them in pots [and there's a lot in those pots @celcius_kkw !  ]  - remember they need copious watering and lots of food to do well. Keep them well deadheaded too, so that they don't keep trying to produce seed, but produce more flowers instead :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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