Growing Sweet Peas

[Spruance]

As a keen grower of sweet peas, I have been persuaded to share my knowledge on this subject, and whilst I probably don't do things strictly by the book, it works for me. This is why I haven't used 'How to Grow Sweet Peas' as the thread title.

I have always been very fond of sweet peas, and have grown them for over twenty-five years, although only from seed since 1996 when I obtained my first greenhouse. That is not to say that a greenhouse is an essential piece of equipment as no heat is required, just shelter from the elements, at least as far as the UK climate goes.

Some might say that sweet peas are a lot of work, and indeed I suppose to some extent those people could be right. Then again, where else can you buy a daily bunch of sweet peas to decorate the house from late May to mid August and beyond if conditions are right? The answer is nowhere that I can think of as sweet peas are simply unavailable - to the best of my knowledge - as a cut flower due to their short shelf life.

A vase of freshly picked sweet peas will soon fill your house with the most wonderful fragrance, and as the flowers need to be picked regularly - daily if possible - to prevent the plants going to seed, you will have an endless supply of highly fragrant cut flowers.

Anyway, enough sentimentality, and down to business.

First of all you will need some seed. I always grow Matthewmans because they are extremely reliable, heavily scented and come in a wide selection of varieties. Then again with prices ranging from £1.50 to £1.80 for just ten seeds they are certainly not cheap. Matthewmans have also won twelve consecutive Chelsea Gold Medals for their sweet pea displays.

However, there is no exclusivity attached to sweet peas, and for all but the professional exhibitor, there is no reason why shop bought seeds should not produce equally good results as those from specialist growers. Speaking of which here are some website links - in no particular order - to specialist growers that I am aware of:-

Matthewmans

Nicky's Seeds

Owl's Acre Sweet Peas

Roger Parsons Sweet Peas

Kerton Sweet Peas

Eagle Sweet Peas

Autumn sowings are best started towards the end of October so there is plenty of time to buy your seed in readiness for sowing later this month. All being well I shall be intending to start my own plants off around the weekend of 25th/26th October.

I will just conclude for now by saying that I certainly do not know everything there is to know about growing sweet peas, so please don't look upon this thread simply as a tutorial, but instead as a place where we can all learn more about this very beguiling plant. So by all means feel free to post any suggestions or questions that you may have and in the case of the latter I will try my best to provide the answers.

[purplejulia]

Thanks for posting this thread Spruance. I am going to try Autumn sowing again this year and I was going to wait until late October as well.

My sweet peas were a great success this summer and I look forward to sharing comments with you and other Autumn sowers too!

PJ

[Amo]

Great idea! I think I have my seeds already, just have to find them

[Tig]

Me too ;D (plus some I've managed to save from this years sweet pea fest

[Auricula]

Thank you very much for this thread Spruance.I am going to sow some this autumn ( a first for me ) as my spring sown ones were a bit of a disappointment for me this year

[Ladygardener]

I will hold on another week or so before I sow. I think last year I sowed 16th october. I'll be sowing saved seed from fragrantissima which were splendid this year, I also have some still in the packet which I did'nt sow and Blue ripple which look and smell lovely. I usually sow in toilet roll inners and have lots saved.

[Spruance]

Well I suppose it doesn't have to be 25th/26th October, but due to work commitments I'm afraid it does have to be a weekend. I'll try to do something for the weekend of 18th/19th October.

[Deleted]

I grew them for the first time this year and they did well ive got some saved seed but also got some more on order.
I will sow some again at the end of the month.

[Deleted]

I sowed mine directly into the ground last year and had a wonderful display! Did the same again this year and absolutely diddly squat ... really disappointing

Have ordered some seed from Mathewmans and shall start them off this month in the greenhouse as soon as they arrive.

Thanks for the info! Shall report back at a later stage ... and look forward to reading this further!

[Deleted]

thanks for this thread spruance, sweet peas are my favourite flower, ive just sown a mixed variety and a variety on its own from matthewmans, i cant wait for tips and so on on this thread, thanks again

[farmersboy]

I always sow straight into the ground late Oct,early Nov,dont give any cover,and i always get good results,and with a mild winter forcast,shouldnt be any problems

[Ladygardener]

FB I was just thinking about you and if you'd seen this thread and there you appear as if by magic. ;D

[farmersboy]

I knew you were thinking about me,i got your vibes,so i thought id better post,lng

[Ladygardener]

Thanks for giving me a big smile FB.
On a serious note, I'd like to try sowing my sp where they are to grow instead of all of them in loo roll inners but the spot will be quite shady until they're about a foot or so. Do you think it's worth a try? Are yours shaded when they start to grow?

[Deleted]

thanks for the tips and reminder to sow

[farmersboy]

Oct 10, 2008 18:10:25 GMT Ladygardener said:

Thanks for giving me a big smile FB.
On a serious note, I'd like to try sowing my sp where they are to grow instead of all of them in loo roll inners but the spot will be quite shady until they're about a foot or so. Do you think it's worth a try? Are yours shaded when they start to grow?

Well lng,i grow mine in a different place every year,some times they dont get any sun till afternoon,cant say ive noticed any difference,in my experience,i think the answer to good SPs,is to feed them well.

Glad you had a smile,we need more of them in this world

[Ladygardener]

Thanks for the tips FB. I think I'll sow the majority of them down the bottom border where they are to grow and keep some in their loo inners until I decide where I'm going to put them. ;D

[Spruance]

I'm not sure about overwintering sweet peas in the ground in my part of the world. The area in question is often frozen solid in January which wouldn't do the plants any good at all.

[farmersboy]

Oct 10, 2008 22:24:05 GMT Spruance said:

I'm not sure about overwintering sweet peas in the ground in my part of the world. The area in question is often frozen solid in January which wouldn't do the plants any good at all.

Spruance,ive had mine in frozen ground,and they have come to no harm,admitted they do look a bit sick at the time,but after they have thawed out,they are fine,
Being outside from the beginning,with no cover,they get acclimatised to the ever increasing colder conditions,but of course it maybe colder,or more open to wind frosts,where you are,

[Barbara]

I read, they can stand -10.

[Biggles]

My Sweetpeas are still growing strong and I am wondering if I should keep them for a bit longer- I seem to be picking flowers everyday- I have just taken this photograph this afternoon to show you what they are like

[Spruance]

That's fantastic Biggles. Mine finished in late August as usual. I would certainly leave them whilst they are still flowering like that.

[Deleted]

well done biggles wow, how did you do it are they late sowings mine finished mid aug, climate change eh!

[Jasmine]

Your sweetpeas are still looking fantastic Bigs!
I'm not sure whether to plant my sweetpeas this week and leave them out so they might get rained on while we are on holiday or wait until we get back but that means the second w/e in November which is quite late.

[Biggles]

Thank you for your comments--

I didn't do anything special. I put them in Loo Rolls round about late February/March I also 'nipped them' when they were about 4" high and didn't plant them out until the roots were showing at the bottom of the Loo Rolls.They were a pkt from Amateur Garden Magazine and the soil wasn't really prepared for them apart from the usual spade 'turn over' I use Chicken Pellets (I haven't a compost bin) for the garden and I put an extra handful round the Sweetpeas and kept them well watered. I also nipped out some of the tendrils They get get the morning sun until 12 ish. I am also lucky that I am not troubled with alot of Slugs and Snails -they get squashed as soon as I see them ;D
I also found the more I picked the flowers (which I gave away to neighbours) the more they flowered.
I have left them now to try and get some seed from them--Fingers crossed before the Frosts come--

[Ladygardener]

Brilliant Biggles, how lucky to still have so many to cut. I'd keep them going as long as you can. I still have 1 little lot which are producing, won't dig them out until there's not a sign of a bud. I'm an eternal optimist.

[JennyWrenn]

My sweet peas still flowering but not as good as Biggy's - nice to see them tho

[farmersboy]

Hope you are getting ready to sow next years Jen,end of this month/early next

[Auricula]

Oh...I sowed mine yesterday - following what was said on GW and in the gardening magazines - have I been too previous??

[farmersboy]

Oct 13, 2008 12:54:06 GMT Auricula said:

Oh...I sowed mine yesterday - following what was said on GW and in the gardening magazines - have I been too previous??

Dont think it makes much difference auricula,i once heard an expert on a radio gardening program say he always sowed his on the 12th Oct,so you are spot on,i like to sow a bit later to stop them being to forward