Well, it seems there may be sufficient interest to start a sweet pea thread...and to be honest I think we've hijacked this one for long enough anyway.
I think you'll agree that at this time during mid-season it isn't ideal to start a detailed guide to growing sweet peas. So perhaps it would be better to start a sweet pea queries thread in the Potting Shed as a temporary measure, to be replaced with a more comprehensive guide in the autumn.
I am so pleased my comments at the beginning of the month have started something big! There seem to be enough interest to start a sweetpea growing thread so go for it! And hope lots more gardeners are inspired by David K! Enjoy!
I am so pleased my comments at the beginning of the month have started something big! There seem to be enough interest to start a sweetpea growing thread so go for it! And hope lots more gardeners are inspired by David K! Enjoy!
Cath - As I said in a previous post, sorry for hijacking your thread.
Have this bunch of sweet peas, Winner (red) and Just Jenny (purple).
I remember one year, when we used to have summers, when I used the whole of a 12' border to grow sweet peas and was cutting about 70 a day. This year I I have an obelisk with a dozen or so struggling their way up. They look healthy and green, and are in what should be one of the sunniest spots in the garden. My mange tout and ordinary peas were planted out at the same time and are romping away. I thought all 3 were closely related, just wondering whether David could comment on the discrepancy in growth?
My query about sweet peas after reading a lot about them on here and other posts is.....if they are continually picked, therefore growing new flowers, why is it necessary to grow 2 batches? One obvious observation is that the flower stems do shorten the older the plant gets.......unless they get 'pruned'........
...............this year my very tall sweet pea plants, in the garden (not pots) were thrashed by strong winds several weeks ago, so I chopped off the damaged stems, the top 3 foot or thereabouts of the plants, thinking I had nothing to lose as they were slowing down anyway. The 'pruning' has definitely given the plants a new lease of life.
I usually sow them in Spring but am going to try to get earlier flowers next year by planting now as they appear to be much hardier than I ever thought.
I sowed some old ones found when I sorted out my seeds this spring and they took forever to germinate and then got hit by a seriously of May and a heatwave in June and sat and did nothing. Busy-Lizzie, who gardens inland in the Dordogne, warned me they go over quickly because of the heat. I finally potted the surviving half dozen all together in one pot in July which I kept in semi shade and, lo and behold, I now have a few, short stemmed, small flowered but highly scented blooms.
I shall try sowing some this month wit a view to getting an early start before things heat up next spring. Should be OK as I don't get anywhere near as cold as Busy here near the Vendée coastline and I shall sow some more in January to try and extend the season but keep them in shade for most of the 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)."
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Well, it seems there may be sufficient interest to start a sweet pea thread...and to be honest I think we've hijacked this one for long enough anyway.
I think you'll agree that at this time during mid-season it isn't ideal to start a detailed guide to growing sweet peas. So perhaps it would be better to start a sweet pea queries thread in the Potting Shed as a temporary measure, to be replaced with a more comprehensive guide in the autumn.
Hope this is satisfactory.
Sweet pea 'Dot Com'
They look great, and also a great suggestion.
I am so pleased my comments at the beginning of the month have started something big! There seem to be enough interest to start a sweetpea growing thread so go for it! And hope lots more gardeners are inspired by David K! Enjoy!
Cath - As I said in a previous post, sorry for hijacking your thread.
Have this bunch of sweet peas, Winner (red) and Just Jenny (purple).
My query about sweet peas after reading a lot about them on here and other posts is.....if they are continually picked, therefore growing new flowers, why is it necessary to grow 2 batches? One obvious observation is that the flower stems do shorten the older the plant gets.......unless they get 'pruned'........
...............this year my very tall sweet pea plants, in the garden (not pots) were thrashed by strong winds several weeks ago, so I chopped off the damaged stems, the top 3 foot or thereabouts of the plants, thinking I had nothing to lose as they were slowing down anyway. The 'pruning' has definitely given the plants a new lease of life.
I usually sow them in Spring but am going to try to get earlier flowers next year by planting now as they appear to be much hardier than I ever thought.
I sowed some old ones found when I sorted out my seeds this spring and they took forever to germinate and then got hit by a seriously of May and a heatwave in June and sat and did nothing. Busy-Lizzie, who gardens inland in the Dordogne, warned me they go over quickly because of the heat. I finally potted the surviving half dozen all together in one pot in July which I kept in semi shade and, lo and behold, I now have a few, short stemmed, small flowered but highly scented blooms.
I shall try sowing some this month wit a view to getting an early start before things heat up next spring. Should be OK as I don't get anywhere near as cold as Busy here near the Vendée coastline and I shall sow some more in January to try and extend the season but keep them in shade for most of the day.