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sweet peas going yellow

catherine172catherine172 Posts: 67
in Problem solving
my lovely sweet pea plants - growing on my juliette balcony in pots; saved by your advice against aphids (fat balls for birds); are now going yellow.
I think they could do with some SM3, but I ordered some weeks ago, and it never arrived (from Dobies).
not sure what to do - they have been doing well.
or is it simply that I haven't been giving them the right kind of watering???

Posts

  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    Sm3?..........do you feed them regularly?  They are very hungry plants.  They do tend to get yellow leaves as they age though..




  • catherine172catherine172 Posts: 67
    mm, I only know to feed with SM3 - linked to gardening organicly. not sure what to do...

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    What's SM3?
    In pots - they need copious watering and feeding. They need to be in a decent soil mix too. A base of rotted manure is good, before adding good quality compost.

    If they're yellowing, it's probably a mixture of those things, although bottom foliage will yellow as the plants grow too.
    You also may have too many plants for the container, and after a while, some will just not be able to compete. Tomato food is the best feed for them.
    Without seeing them, it's impossible to offer further advice. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • catherine172catherine172 Posts: 67
    it's seaweed extract - from Chase organics/ dobbies, I think.
    these plants/pots arrived with soil - I didn't replant...
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    How big is the pot?  They need a good root run and, as mentioned, plenty of feed and water.   You can probably pick up liquid tomato feed in the supermarket or DIY store or GC.  Some are organic but the sweet peas won't care.  Dilute according to instructions on the bottle and use weekly, between watering.

    Mine are in a 60cm deep and wide pot and have been given slow release granular tomato feed and are watered every day.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Have you got a photo?
    I'm not sure what you mean by them arriving with soil though. They do need quite a lot or room to grow well - especially depth.
    I have about 8 to 10 in large fifteen inch diameter pots. Depth is about the same. Most types cope well with that sort of volume. Seaweed is ok, but not terribly helpful for flowering - it will tend to just promote foliage instead. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • catherine172catherine172 Posts: 67
    ah, my pots are smaller - I thought since they were in this pot in the supermarket, they would be OK to stay in them.
    also, the juliette balcony where they are wouldn't fit anything bigger I don't think.
    sigh.
    thanks for all your thoughts!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    When you buy them from any outlet, they're usually in whatever pot they've been sown in - sometimes those little trays with 6, or so, square cells/units, or in 3 -4 inch pots, or similar. They won't survive in those for long. 
    At the very least, you'd need something around 8 or 9 inches to give enough depth, and you could probably have 2  plants in that. Even then, they would struggle without a fair bit of help. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • catherine172catherine172 Posts: 67
    thanks, Fairygirl - yes, the pot was probably a good 8-9 inches in depth - it came in a basket with bits for the plant to grow up - which led me to think it should be OK, at least for this season.  (If I have the courage, I'll post a pic, but the yellow bits make me sad - I was hoping for some lovely flowers this year!) - will try to get some tomato growing stuff and see if that can help a bit...
  • catherine172catherine172 Posts: 67
    ok, herewith some pics - 1 on the left of the balcony, 1 on the right; and 1 pretty pink flower...











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