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Talkback: Cup and saucer vine

Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
in Talkback
I too find sweet peas a great deal of work with all that dead heading and I don't even like cut flowers in the house that much so have started growing Morning Glory instead. Last year I chose a red variety - sorry, name escapes me - and though the flowers were small and short lived they grew in such profusion they gave a great display right through to the frosts. No effort required apart from sowing and planting out. Brilliant.

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  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    About a month ago I have finished a small pergola (6ft X 4ft x 7ft) in my tiny garden, and I bought a cobaea from my local car boot without knowing what it was. Since I planted it at the corner of the pergola it has galloped away and now covers half of one side. I am looking forward to seeing it flower. A question: can I keep it over the winter if I cut it back and cover the roots?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I'm new to the site and need info on harvesting seed from Cobaea Scandens. I bought seeds from my local Wyevale last year.My garden faces south and the plants I got have done so well,height and distance and loads of flowers. After the flowers drop, a fruit/seed starts and gets quite large (about the size of a Kiwi fruit. I've cut one open and it's full of green seeds. My question is....do I leave the rest of the 'pods' on the plants,or remove them,open them and try to dry out the seeds? Anyone had experience of this? Any successes?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I've never harvested seed from this plant myself, but as a rule you should wait for seed to fully ripen in its pod before emptying them out. As weather is turning cold now I'm not sure how ripe the seeds inside pods will have developed. If not yet fully mature then they may not be viable, but certainly worth trying.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I've grown mine from seed rather late in April or so and it only started flowering in late August but it's still flowering and bumblebees are still feeding on it now in December in London. It's full of seed pods too but I'm not sure I want anymore of it. It grew so vigorously this summer, I'm afraid it might take over the whole garden and eventually the world!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I found this plant growing "wild" in some reclaimed soil in my field and was enchanted by the beauty of the flower, so much so as it ripened into a pod I collected it to show my Uncle, who is a very keen gardener.He didnt recognise it so I left it in a brown paper envelope until it popped right open.I saw a packet at my local garden centre and identified it as cup and saucer vine.My daughter (12) popped it in some potting compost and they are growing very nicely in an unheated greenhouse now!We await eagerly to plant when the not so glorious weather we are having in May allows ,although I may limit the plants following last comment see above!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I'm growing this for the first time. I bought three seedlings without knowing the name but was given a warning that they'd get very big. I put them in three separate but large pots. They grew and grew but took so long to flower that I wondered if I'd planted Jack's beanstalk. However, they're now looking utterly gorgeous, with one hanging down off a balcony. However, I looked at the seedpods yesterday and they remind me of that horrible plant that kept saying 'Feed me' in 'Little Shop of Horrors'. And I have just found that in New Zealand the cobea is classified as a pest. I know we have rather different weather in England but I now have rather mixed feelings to its utterly seductive gorgeousness!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I grew this from seed in an unheated greenhouse so it was not ready to go out until July. However it raced away through July and August and flowered wonderfully through September and October. It certainly livened up our box hedge, which we keep because it houses lots of wildlife and several nests, and was a good talking point. It also romped over the seven feet high hedge to the delight of our neighbours. Might start it indoors next year.
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