Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Perfect sweet peas?

debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
in Plants
Hi all, every year I grow sweet peas and this year has been a disaster! Over half the plants are dead and what are left are puny and covered in aphids. 
Later this year I plan to set up a new bed at the allotment dig it well and incorporate lots of manure then set up the frame and netting so 2021 will be better. 
I am considering autumn sowing to get a head start, any tips? I have an unheated greenhouse to over winter plants is that going to work? 
Any advice gratefully received I love my sweet peas. 

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I would sow some direct in the autumn (they'll overwinter outside just fine unless you have a lot of mice in the area), and another sowing  to overwinter in the greenhouse, and then another greenhouse sowing in February/March .... and then you could make a fourth in April  :)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They only need protection from very wet, rough weather when small, so if you have them in a greenhouse, they're better left open most of the time. 
    I normally don't do any autumn ones as it's usually not worth it - when you want to plant out in April, our weather isn't favourable, so March/April sown ones catch up anyway. I did some last year though, and it paid off as we had a record breaking April.
    Doing staggered sowings is always a good idea, and don't overcrowd them if they're in pots. 
    The key is to have good, hearty soil to grow them in. Doing as you intend will certainly help get a good outcome. They need a lot of water and food.
    Mine are mostly in pots, so I use some turf or similar at the bottom, then they get a bit of slow release food, and I also use tomato food once they start flowering. Dead heading is also important - its a waste of the plant's energy if you don't.

    Also - the info always says full sun. I find many do better with some shade. Prolonged hot sun dries them out, so if you have them in a very hot spot, try doing some in an east or  west facing site where they get a little respite from the heat.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    Mine are rubbish this year too, the ones that have survived!
    'very wet, rough weather' is the norm here in winter so I always do spring sowings and they usually do well.
    But this year, when my plants were ready to go out it was scorching hot with killer winds as well, so I kept them in. The hot weather continued and my water reserves dwindled so when there was a slight improvement I put them out. They dried out, started again and then it went cold and wintry and they just sat there .
    Even the best of them have not yet made it to the top of their canes and there's only a couple of flowers so far. If we have a warm, sunny autumn I'll have the latest blooming sweet peas in the country :)

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I usually have them in autumn here @Buttercupdays, because it's usually June before they start performing, and into July for them flowering, and we get our 'summer weather' in late August and into September. The lower temps don't bother them at that point either. They don't make the height, but you still get a good show.
    Then the rough late October weather gets them, but it's nice to have lots of flowers in September.  :)
    We don't have to worry about water either, as we aren't metered - it's in with the council tax as a flat fee.
    Plus - plenty from the sky at this time of year  ;)

    There's certainly been a lot of queries this year about sweet peas not doing well - more than normal. Many have been because plants simply aren't getting enough water and nutrition though. Overcrowded in pots usually, preventing water getting in even with heavier rain. I think people underestimate how much food they need too. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    edited July 2020
    I'm not metered either. Just totally dependent on enough rainfall to keep our spring running!
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    As others are saying, I think the key is lots of water and lots of food, with a fairly beefy compost.
    I sow 2 to 3 lots a year: October, January and sometimes March.
    This year just the 2 and both started flowering at the same time, in June.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Ah - yes @Buttercupdays. We had a well at last house as the supply, and a spring too.
    Fortunately, that also fed the pond, so we could just bung a bucket into that for watering anything if needed.
    An over abundance of rainwater was more of a problem than a shortage. Every time it rained, it flowed down the road like a river and created a nice pond at the bottom corner. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    Thanks everyone I usually do very well with sweet peas so hoping it’s just a one off but will try an autumn sowing and then my usual spring sowing. Roll on 2021!! 
Sign In or Register to comment.