Hi, I am new to this forum and to gardening in general. I grew a mix of sweetpeas this year and they are beautiful but some are short stemmed and not great for cutting. If I sow only long stemmed varieties in different colours for next year and save and sow the seed the following year, will the resulting plants all be long stemmed even if they don't come true to the parent plants colour?
Hello, Ashleigh, I spotted a message you posted up-thread and apologise for not replying sooner....anyway, first things first, welcome to the forum.
I've always found that seed purchased from specialist growers, such as 'Eagle Sweet Peas' produce superior blooms with longer stems. That aside, it is quite normal for the stems of all sweet peas to reduce in length as the season progresses.
Those in my picture above (posted 27/08/13) were grown by what is known as the cordon method. This is the system used by exhibitors and is preferred because it produces those long stems.
David would you please write the dimension of your pots down I have bought sum and would like to know if they are the right height. at the bottom of your trench do you add any horse muck to your soil.
Hello, James.....just need a little clarification. Are these the pots for sowing seed, or for planting out?
I usually prepare my SP beds in the autumn. I take out a trench about 18" deep & 2ft wide and add manure in the bottom (horse muck will do fine) then back-fill.
Got ya....well, as you probably know, sweet peas are very deep rooted and therefore need pots with a deep root run......this is why some people opt for loo roll inners.
I use this type of thing made from black plastic sheet, very cheap & effective.
Posts
Hi, I am new to this forum and to gardening in general. I grew a mix of sweetpeas this year and they are beautiful but some are short stemmed and not great for cutting. If I sow only long stemmed varieties in different colours for next year and save and sow the seed the following year, will the resulting plants all be long stemmed even if they don't come true to the parent plants colour?
Hello, Ashleigh, I spotted a message you posted up-thread and apologise for not replying sooner....anyway, first things first, welcome to the forum.
I've always found that seed purchased from specialist growers, such as 'Eagle Sweet Peas' produce superior blooms with longer stems. That aside, it is quite normal for the stems of all sweet peas to reduce in length as the season progresses.
Those in my picture above (posted 27/08/13) were grown by what is known as the cordon method. This is the system used by exhibitors and is preferred because it produces those long stems.
Thanks David, your photo is beautiful, I will certainly check out 'Eagle Sweet Peas'.
still flowering
David would you please write the dimension of your pots down I have bought sum and would like to know if they are the right height. at the bottom of your trench do you add any horse muck to your soil.
James
Hello, James.....just need a little clarification. Are these the pots for sowing seed, or for planting out?
I usually prepare my SP beds in the autumn. I take out a trench about 18" deep & 2ft wide and add manure in the bottom (horse muck will do fine) then back-fill.
yes pots for sowing I intend to stert digging my trench at the weekend and add three 3" post and then some green chicken wire thingy
James
Got ya....well, as you probably know, sweet peas are very deep rooted and therefore need pots with a deep root run......this is why some people opt for loo roll inners.
I use this type of thing made from black plastic sheet, very cheap & effective.
I have the same type but just wondered if yours where bought extra deep ??
I will go and measure mine just to be safe back in a mo
James
Just measured mine (don't we have fun)
They are 3" dia x 6" deep.