Sweet Peas again!

[Tee Gee]

Sowed my sweet peas today and while I was doing it I got to thinking (as I often do)

What I got to thinking about was a couple of procedures that most of us do by I can't quite understand why!

To explain the pundits will say something like:

Stopping

It is essential to remove the growing tip once two pairs of leaves have appeared in order to encourage strong side growth.


Growing On

For good quality blooms remove all side shoots and tendrils regularly. 


This info was taken from here: http://www.sweetpeasonline.co.uk/How-To-Grow-Sweetpeas-The-Matthewman-Way.html



Now I think most of us grow sweet peas as cordons (single stemmed plants) yet the above information seems to contradict its self????

For example: why do we encourage secondary growth ( side shoots) then remove them???

Would it not be better to allow the plant to put all its energy into producing the single stem we require?


Now there is something to get you all thinking!... Tg

[Tee Gee]

[picman]

We planted about 40 SPs one November in 6" tubes ( they like deep pots )  ,, come Jan were doing well in unheated GH , then MOUSE had the lot ! left me the green tops ....

[Tee Gee]

then MOUSE had the lot ! left me the green tops ....

Been there at the beginning of this year, so fingers crossed I wont have that problem this year as I plan in keeping them in a different spot!

fingers X

[plotstoeat]

Good point TG. I try to remove tendrils and dead flowers but never remove side shoots. I suspect the difference is whether you want to exhibit or just cut them for the house. No doubt Laurie will tell us when he sees your post.

[laurieuk]

Trust me to stick my oar in, I have found that from Oct. sowing there is no need to stop the plants as they break on their own. I like to leave all growths until they have been planted out for awhile in case of accidents. If you let the first main stem go it usually packs up when it is about, and then it is too late to select the best. I remove tendrils not to improve the blooms but to avoid them causing  bent stems. When they get up about 6 feet (2 metres ?) I layer them so they can carry on the second time up. When our son got married and wanted my wife to do all the flowers using certain colour sweet peas we had to layer the second time.

[Digeroo]

I lost them all to mice last year.  Not sure what to do to stop them.  Three years ago I  had wonderful sweet peas.  But none since.   The critters seem to have got a taste for them.   I tried some on top of the water butt but someone threw them in the next butt and they all drowned.(the peas not the mouse)
Do you think they would survive the winter outside under plastic bottles?   I might try a few.
Thanks for the reminder to get them going.

[laurieuk]

Over the uears I find that as long as the roots do not freeze the foliage and stems are quite hardy.We quite often get self sown ones .

[plotstoeat]

In the past I have transplanted seedlings into kitchen paper tubes to give the depth for the long roots. Any thoughts on this practice?

[laurieuk]

Up until a couple of years ago  I always used ordinary 3 inch pots but I did try some root trainers and they seemed to be OK not better but about the same so having got them I will use them again this year. I have saved my own seed this year for the first time but sowed on the same day (8th Oct) they are now ready to be moved into the trainers.

[plotstoeat]

Up until a couple of years ago  I always used ordinary 3 inch pots but I did try some root trainers and they seemed to be OK not better but about the same so having got them I will use them again this year. I have saved my own seed this year for the first time but sowed on the same day (8th Oct) they are now ready to be moved into the trainers.

Thanks for the pic Laurie. Mine are up but I was later than you so they are not so far on. The warm weather of the past week has been helpful. The green seeds didn't germinate but the hard ones were quite successful. I will follow you and use 3" pots. Don't have root trainers.

[plotstoeat]

I planted my seedlings out a few weeks ago with dramatically varying results from dying off to over two feet of growth. Is it too early to start feeding?

[laurieuk]

If you have included any feed in your tranches I would not feed until the plants have flowered. I lost some when "Katie" hit us just after I had planted out, they are a bit late this year as we usually pick the first bunches this week , Chelsea week.

[plotstoeat]

If you have included any feed in your tranches I would not feed until the plants have flowered. I lost some when "Katie" hit us just after I had planted out, they are a bit late this year as we usually pick the first bunches this week , Chelsea week.

thanks Laurie

[Tee Gee]

Laurie you say:

I remove tendrils not to improve the blooms but to avoid them causing  bent stems. When they get up about 6 feet (2 metres ?) I layer them so they can carry on the second time up.

This is basically what I have always done but do not bother so much now as the long stems are not so important for me now, as I just pick posies for display in the house.

I was speaking to David Mathewman of Mathewman sweet peas fame on how he grew his plants in order to get so many long stemmed blooms for his displays at Chelsea etc and he told me this.

He does not grow them vertically he grows them across the floor/ground then as you know sweet pea stems always grow vertical so there is no interference from leaves or tendrils once they get above plant level.

I haven't seen his set up but I think he does what we vertical growers do but he does it horizonatally.

For example we grow them to the height of the supports we have then when they reach the top take them down then tie them in to the supports again where so far as I can tell he lets them grow along the floor (possibly on weed suppressant fabric to keep them clean) for a convenient length then guides them to grow back to where they originated from which is effectively doing what we do in terms of plant length.

In other words they effectively snake along the ground as far as you want to take them.

I would guess his plants are planted at wider centres than we do to cater for the number of rows (layers) he ends up with so again there is an advantage as this creates space for a larger root run for each plant before it comes in contact with the next plant in the row.

So basically he has use the attribute all sweet peas have and that is for the flower to grow vertically, sadly our way the stem can be bent as it passes a tendril,stem or leaf with his method you only have open air above each flowering poin.

I will probably not see him again until September but I think I will be picking his brain to get to the facts of his growing methods.

What do you think to that system? If I have described it correctly I think it is a brilliant yet very simple variation on how most people grow sweet peas.

[mrrigsby]

In the past I have transplanted seedlings into kitchen paper tubes to give the depth for the long roots. Any thoughts on this practice?

I have sown sweet peas in toilet rolls for years. No problem, and you can then plant them with a dibber.

[laurieuk]

Laurie you say:

I remove tendrils not to improve the blooms but to avoid them causing  bent stems. When they get up about 6 feet (2 metres ?) I layer them so they can carry on the second time up.

This is basically what I have always done but do not bother so much now as the long stems are not so important for me now, as I just pick posies for display in the house.

I was speaking to David Mathewman of Mathewman sweet peas fame on how he grew his plants in order to get so many long stemmed blooms for his displays at Chelsea etc and he told me this.

He does not grow them vertically he grows them across the floor/ground then as you know sweet pea stems always grow vertical so there is no interference from leaves or tendrils once they get above plant level.

I haven't seen his set up but I think he does what we vertical growers do but he does it horizonatally.

For example we grow them to the height of the supports we have then when they reach the top take them down then tie them in to the supports again where so far as I can tell he lets them grow along the floor (possibly on weed suppressant fabric to keep them clean) for a convenient length then guides them to grow back to where they originated from which is effectively doing what we do in terms of plant length.

In other words they effectively snake along the ground as far as you want to take them.

I would guess his plants are planted at wider centres than we do to cater for the number of rows (layers) he ends up with so again there is an advantage as this creates space for a larger root run for each plant before it comes in contact with the next plant in the row.

So basically he has use the attribute all sweet peas have and that is for the flower to grow vertically, sadly our way the stem can be bent as it passes a tendril,stem or leaf with his method you only have open air above each flowering poin.

I will probably not see him again until September but I think I will be picking his brain to get to the facts of his growing methods.

What do you think to that system? If I have described it correctly I think it is a brilliant yet very simple variation on how most people grow sweet peas.

The one problem that comes to mind quickly is , does it make it easier for the slugs to get at the flowers?  Having done ot upright for 60 plus years think it might be a bit late to change, not that I am against new ways at all.

[Tee Gee]

The one problem that comes to mind quickly is , does it make it easier for the slugs to get at the flowers?  Having done ot upright for 60 plus years think it might be a bit late to change, not that I am against new ways at all.

Like you I wouldn't change either Laurie,  I just put this system forward for anyone who might be interested.

Personally I like the idea and possibly if I was to take up growing sweet peas seriously again I would consider trying it.

Regarding slug attacks we have to remember that is this guy is running a business so I guess he will have taken steps for pests and disease.

Like I mentioned in my previous article I thought he might have a membrane under them.

[laurieuk]

Tied mine this morning ,first flower buds coming well.

[Deb P]

I'm growing mine up netting, and cant believe the progress they have made since I put some scaffolding netting curtains up to shelter them a bit. Being out of the wind has made a huge difference, so I will definitely do that again next year as well as sow in October.

[plotstoeat]

Amazing the difference that location and depth of pot makes. Picked the first flowers from one in best position and deepest pot this weekend. The others are nowhere near!