sweet peas

[shirlton]

If I could only grow two varieties of sweet pea these are what I would grow. They are both very strong growers and they both smell divine. I should have plenty of seed to share if the weather starts to improve. The ones I grew specially for seed are only just starting to set. The bud drop this year has been very bad.

[saddad]

We picked a load yesterday before the promised downpour.. which has arrived!
;D

[laurieuk]

Apart from a period of bud drop this seems to be a good year for sweetpeas. I cut our first Bunch on May 1st, have layered twice and hope to have some good blooms for our sons wedding on August 10th as my wife is doing the flowers and we grew special colours for the event.

[Marymary]

Lovely colours ST.  I've grown SPs for the first time this year & they have been amazing - just love the scent.

[flowerlady]

Oooo lovely ... just love the pink edging of the anniversary, have never grown charlies angels  :) and agree the scent is fantastic ...  mmmm ... would love a few seeds if they produce enough to share  :D

... what might you like in return I wonder  :-\  ;)

[shirlton]

I will post in swap shop when they are ready. You are very welcome to some if they produce enough seed

[Mrs Ava]

Someone sent me sweetpea seeds, and I nabbed a few from one of the seed swaps and I have to say the pinks are amazing!  There are other colours as well, but there are 2 different shades of pink, one a simple baby pink, the other slightly pinker but with ruffled petals and they produce masses of long stems with lots of flowers and such a strong scent!  I will pick maybe once more, then leave the rest for seeds for next year.  Defo going to grow a row on the allotment again.

[kitten]

Very pretty shilton  ;D  Are they reasonably easy to grow?  I guess you support them up a mesh or poles like peas?  (sorry for all the qu's  ::) )

SP's are my mum's fave flowers so i'm going to try and grow her some next year on the lottie - she tried a dwarf variety in a pot this year but not much success.

[Robert_Brenchley]

They're ever so easy. I grow them up wigwams. They're not doing very well this year, but that's just the eternally sodden soil.

[shirlton]

Hi Kitten. Like all climbers . The stronger the supperts the better the plants. there is a very good sweet pea site on the net. I have posted the link on here somewhere if you take a look. It goes into detail which would take me all day and I would probably confuse you into the bargain

[kitten]

Thanks RB & shirlton , great advice.  I'll try to find that website shirlton, thanks - doesn't take much to confuse me

[ellie2cats]

I also grow sweet peas, not as successfully as I would wish but my best ever variety has been Mrs Bernard Jones, a beautiful rose pink, strong and very scented.  Worth a try,

[Busby]

How on earth do you all do it?

This year I've had two amazing crops of peas, bags of everything else - but - as every year, my (wife's) sweet peas are miserable and tatty. We've tried everything, from sowing in pots both outdoors and indoors to direct sowing and re-sowing, but all to no avail.

Please tell me how you do it¨!

[Robert_Brenchley]

This year the only one that's done much for me has been Matucana. Pkant them in pots at the begiing of autumn, bring them through the winter with minimum protection from hard frosts, then plant out when the weather starts warming up in spring.

[shirlton]

there s a very good website on how to grow sweet peas. Tells you very simply how to do it.

[lorna]

Shirlton. Easy to follow site, have put it on my bookmarks.

[Hyacinth]

I'm not seeing the link to the site - help!

Thanks.

[shirlton]

www.sweetpeas.org.uk/how.htm . There you go Lish. You should find all the info you need on there

[Robert_Brenchley]

Mine seem to be perking up now the weather's improved. I planted six varieties, the slugs got two, and only two of them are producing much in the way of flowers.

[nippie]

Sweet peas are the one thing I am successful with. Untill this year  :(
They have been abysmal. No where near as much growth or flowers.
Roll on next year!