Has anyone had any experience with Lathyrus odoratus "Black Knight" I was thinking of growing these with a orange sweet pea maybe "Henry Eckford" and even adding a white flowering sweet pea "Dorothy Eckford" do you think it's a bit much having three colours in one sweet pea display.
David do you place two seeds in one pot or keep it to one seed/plant to a pot?
Also David would you add grit to the soil? I have clay
Not easy to say unless I see & feel your soil, James. My soil is basically clay, but over a period of 50 years of deep cultivation is in good heart and I don't add grit.....even for exhibition blooms.
Sweet peas like a sunny aspect and plenty of water at the roots, so unless there's a risk of them standing in boggy ground, I would say no.
Geoff Hamilton once said 'I wouldn't swap me Barnsdale clay for any of that free draining sandy stuff'.
Whoops! Sorry, James...plant 2 seeds per pot (you need to in case one fails) if both survive (they usually do) plant out both of them in the same root-ball without disturbing the roots.
David, hope you don't mind me asking, how long have you been growing and exhibiting sweet peas.
Hi, Brumbull...my first show entry was in our local village show in the mid sixties. My first NSPS (National Sweet Pea Society) entry was in the late sixties....I then exhibited regularly for about another 25 years.
I seldom show nationally anymore, but show and judge at a local level.
My biggest achievement…..a lady from another forum wanted to grow sweet peas for her daughter’s sweet pea themed wedding (bouquets, church & reception bedecked with them)….you get the idea.
I took her though the process from Sept to June and (to cut a long story short) it was an outstanding success….she even sent me wedding photos.
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Has anyone had any experience with Lathyrus odoratus "Black Knight" I was thinking of growing these with a orange sweet pea maybe "Henry Eckford" and even adding a white flowering sweet pea "Dorothy Eckford" do you think it's a bit much having three colours in one sweet pea display.
David do you place two seeds in one pot or keep it to one seed/plant to a pot?
Also David would you add grit to the soil? I have clay
James
James - I've grown all those varieties (have pic 'black knight' somewhere) and they have done well.
Henry Eckford of Wem did a lot to develop the sweet pea during the Victorian era.
Also you say, 'Also David would you add grit to the soil? I have clay', again not sure if you mean in the pots or open ground.
sorry david yes in open ground
James
CluelessGardener wrote (see)
Not easy to say unless I see & feel your soil, James. My soil is basically clay, but over a period of 50 years of deep cultivation is in good heart and I don't add grit.....even for exhibition blooms.
Sweet peas like a sunny aspect and plenty of water at the roots, so unless there's a risk of them standing in boggy ground, I would say no.
Geoff Hamilton once said 'I wouldn't swap me Barnsdale clay for any of that free draining sandy stuff'.
Thank you david
I only asked because I read on a web site that they like free draining soil.I take it only one seed to a pot ??
James
Whoops! Sorry, James...plant 2 seeds per pot (you need to in case one fails) if both survive (they usually do) plant out both of them in the same root-ball without disturbing the roots.
thank you David what do you feed your sp,also when and how often
James
Extra feeding will not be necessary if your soil was well prepared......however, I give a dressing of blood fish & bonemeal when I'm planting out.
Thank you david your a gem
James
Hi, Brumbull...my first show entry was in our local village show in the mid sixties. My first NSPS (National Sweet Pea Society) entry was in the late sixties....I then exhibited regularly for about another 25 years.
I seldom show nationally anymore, but show and judge at a local level.
My biggest achievement…..a lady from another forum wanted to grow sweet peas for her daughter’s sweet pea themed wedding (bouquets, church & reception bedecked with them)….you get the idea.
I took her though the process from Sept to June and (to cut a long story short) it was an outstanding success….she even sent me wedding photos.
PS. The bride has just had her first baby.