Topic: I love Sweet Peas!

[rosebud]

Regarding making the flowers last, cut them all at 45degrees and put them as far up the stem as possible into cold water for at least an hour then transfer to your vases for display this works for all flowers.
the cutting being important!!!!.  Hope this helps peeps.

[campanula]

definately makes a difference, sowing in the autumn. The flowers are usually much earlier and sturdier. I sow mine around end of September and I leave them out in a sheltered space outside all winter. If it looked like being especially vicious, may bung a bit of fleece over them. I nip them out a number of times so that by April, they are really sturdy bushy plants. They seem more resistant to mildew although they do go over by August. I do tend to snip the side shoots and tendrils too as the tendrils always cause the stems to get distorted. Not exactly a cordon method but a halfway house between just letting them ramble about. Of yeah, the reds and deep pinks always seem to go over first with shorter and shorter stems and smaller flowers so now I tend to go for blues, lavenders and cream colours.
and i agree, what is a sweet pea without scent?

[ALAN HOWELL]

Hi all..interesting thread,I am soon to be sowing sweet peas for next year,this year,s crop were very nice but had only short stems,I am looking for a variety,well scented ,multicolour,and long stemmed.Perhaps someone can help  :)......Alan

[Val]

 ;DKnow what you mean Alan, sorry can't help with the variety, there's lots here who will, but I'm fed up with getting smaller vases, good job the seasons nearly finished, I'm running out of egg-cups. ::)

[Peter H]

I have just set mine off for next year and they are already 2" high, will post a pic when i'm next down the allotment to show you. I set them off at this time of year and I have always had long stems, dont know if it helps but why reinvent the wheel.

Peter