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Post by Tig on Jan 26, 2009 0:04:30 GMT
Thank you Spru - ventured forth and done mine  You have got loads!! I just have a few  |
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Post by JennyWrenn on Jan 26, 2009 7:15:35 GMT
Spru you put me to shame - I hope mine will be nice this year - my garden isnt complete without a crop of sweet peas in flower |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jan 26, 2009 8:26:12 GMT
;D Spruance your sp are looking really great, so green and healthy and you've got such a lot of them. Many thanks for the step by step instructions, I must try to do mine this coming week or weekend.
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Post by Dutchy on Jan 26, 2009 9:15:31 GMT
Great looking SP Spru and I think they will do fine.
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Post by Spruance on Jan 26, 2009 22:30:18 GMT
Now that I'm getting more mobile again I suppose I should try to do some pricking out. Unfortunately the 'manana is good enough for me' problem is also beginning to resurface. ;D
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Post by Rosefriend on Feb 1, 2009 8:55:20 GMT
Calling all sweetpea experts.....
Things are a little different on this side of the water and I try and get things out asap using fleece - remembering that the garden is ready for winter around the end of October.
Can I sow my sweetpeas now, in root trainers and put them in a unheated bedroom on the windowsill? Then as soon as the weather allows to get them in the mini GH and plant them again asap, using fleece should we get frost??
RF
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Post by Ladygardener on Feb 1, 2009 10:00:26 GMT
I've been thinking of this since I seen your thread earlier this morning RF. I can only give you my opinion for what it's worth, I'd go ahead and sow your seeds. As soon as they're up I'd get them into somewhere sheltered but they don't need mollycuddled really I've found them always to be very hardy. As you know mine never see the inside of anything but we don't have your frosts. I'll be sowing my "spring ones " in a couple of weeks myself. I'm sure when the others come on the boards you'll get lots of answers. |
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Post by Rosefriend on Feb 1, 2009 11:14:24 GMT
Thanks LNG - the problem that we have here is that although we shouldn't plant outside until after the middle of May we do try to, for a longer growing season.
I am a dab hand at throwing fleece, newspaper, and bags over tubs that have been planted too early!!
RF
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Post by Ladygardener on Feb 1, 2009 11:31:56 GMT
Good for you RF, that's the spirit. ;D
Today I cut back my own sp as they really do seem to have grown a lot more leaves these past couple of weeks. Just to see if they'll root, I've planted the tops of them. I've read about people doing this but never tried it myself. Has anyone else ever "grown on" their sp tips or tops and had any success?.
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Post by Spruance on Feb 1, 2009 19:47:47 GMT
Captain Cabbage used to swear by this method (planting the cuttings) LNG although I've never tried it myself. Perhaps if he drops by he will remind us of his methodology.
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Post by Ladygardener on Feb 2, 2009 18:25:39 GMT
Well I went and done it yesterday so it's too late for me to do anything different spruance it's good to know that at least someone has done it even if I've not done it the right way but you know what? they're all still looking alive and healthy. Of course time will tell but it's looking good so far. I put them into the polystyrene makeshift cold frame which I've covered tonight with bubble wrap as it's really freezing here. I want to give them a bit of a chance. They're in ordinary multipurpose compost. Fingers are crossed. |
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Post by Sunnygardener on Feb 3, 2009 14:37:30 GMT
Has anyone grown dwarf sweetpeas? My mum wants to try this year but she was told not to bother as they weren't very good.
sunny
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Post by Ladygardener on Feb 3, 2009 14:41:16 GMT
sunny I've heard mixed reports about them but generally they're not thought to be as good as the ordinary ones. If your Mum is wanting to grow in a big pot, the ordinary ones do well with a wig wam made of canes. I did this last year with some of mine (normal variety) and they were a good success. |
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Post by Rosefriend on Feb 3, 2009 15:00:25 GMT
Has anyone grown dwarf sweetpeas? My mum wants to try this year but she was told not to bother as they weren't very good. sunny I have never had any luck with dwarf sweetpeas sunny - if your Mum does grow them do let us know how she goes on, won't you?? RF |
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Post by Dr Bill on Feb 14, 2009 13:20:18 GMT
My sweet peas are looking very sad so I have sowed some more this morning. 8 each of 6 varieties to give a nice mix of colours
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Post by Rosefriend on Feb 17, 2009 12:24:05 GMT
Well I'm in ladies and gentlemen - I sowed my sweetpeas this morning - 64 in all, in roottrainers and they are now in the cold north facing bedroom.
I forgot to soak them though.
RF
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Post by Barbara on Feb 17, 2009 13:06:59 GMT
RF, I never soak my SPs and they are alright,
SUNNY, I grew the dwarf SPs in a hanging basket last year and they were nice.
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Post by Pip on Feb 17, 2009 17:19:04 GMT
Rosefriend, I never soaked my sweetpeas either, I always forgot but they were still good.
Pip
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Post by Rosefriend on Feb 17, 2009 18:52:06 GMT
RF, I never soak my SPs and they are alright, SUNNY, I grew the dwarf SPs in a hanging basket last year and they were nice. Pleased to hear that SO - I wonder if there is a lot of difference in soaking or not? Rf |
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Post by farmersboy on Feb 17, 2009 21:08:17 GMT
I never soak,and always get good germination,but i do sow straight into open ground,so mabe i have more moisture
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Post by Mowhay on Feb 18, 2009 8:36:42 GMT
I have never soaked or nicked my sweet peas and have very good germination. I always use seed from one of the specialists that Spruance mentioned in the first posting "Eagle" and use the method they recommend which gave me 23 plants from 24 seeds. Not as many as some of you have but they will give me enough flowers for my needs.
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Post by Rosefriend on Feb 18, 2009 11:34:06 GMT
Thanks FB and MH - I soaked them a couple of years ago and they were fantastic, forgot last year and I got 9 flowers from over 60 plants, and this year I have forgotten again and have 64 plants - if they all come through. They are going in a large tub with netting so keep your fingers crossed please.
RF
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Post by Ladygardener on Feb 18, 2009 12:27:24 GMT
Good luck to all who have recently sowed their sp, fingers crossed for them all. My sp tops which I planted have taken and are doing well, it's just over 2 weeks since I planted them and they're making new growth so I'm well pleased. My originals are doing well, must get them into the ground soon, this time last year I'd already done it. |
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Post by Mowhay on Feb 19, 2009 8:45:37 GMT
Rosefriend, What size pot have you got that will take up to 64 seedlings? I use pots which are about two feet by two feet by two feet and put four seedlings in them with a cane in each corner and green twine between. Every year they fill the canes and are loaded with flowers. Fed on phostrogen plant food until they start to bloom and then tomatorite after that
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Post by Rosefriend on Feb 19, 2009 10:54:43 GMT
Mowhay - something tells me that I am doing something wrong. My tub - well it is 90 litres and oblong - 80cms x 50cms and the plan is/was to put wire on 3 sides and put the whole tub against the back garden fence. It gets sun for over 8 hours a day there. I have no idea how many plants can go in as I intended to fill the tub really and for the plants at the front I was going to put twine guiding them to the wire....this is getting confusing isn't it....
Any plants that are over will just be put anywhere in the garden that I can find a little space.
We don't have Tomorite here but something similar which I use for the toms, peppers etc.
RF
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Post by farmersboy on Feb 19, 2009 16:31:54 GMT
Rosefriend, What size pot have you got that will take up to 64 seedlings? I use pots which are about two feet by two feet by two feet and put four seedlings in them with a cane in each corner and green twine between. Every year they fill the canes and are loaded with flowers. Fed on phostrogen plant food until they start to bloom and then tomatorite after that I feed mine exactly the same,mowhay |
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Post by Missredhead on Feb 19, 2009 16:48:58 GMT
When do you start to feed them?
I put the canes in the pot today as the SP's were looking a bit floppy after they got squashed in the snow. they are about 6ins tall now.....
I have decided not to pinch them out but do the ones that are growing in the mini GH and see what difference it makes.
I get confused when some peole pinch and some don't so I thought that I would try both ways.
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Post by farmersboy on Feb 19, 2009 18:05:33 GMT
When do you start to feed them? I put the canes in the pot today as the SP's were looking a bit floppy after they got squashed in the snow. they are about 6ins tall now..... I have decided not to pinch them out but do the ones that are growing in the mini GH and see what difference it makes. I get confused when some peole pinch and some don't so I thought that I would try both ways. I start when it warms up a bit,fed mine today for the first time,MRH |
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Post by Missredhead on Feb 19, 2009 18:34:27 GMT
with tomato feed, is that alright?
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Post by farmersboy on Feb 19, 2009 20:02:23 GMT
I use Phostrogen now,MRH,then tomato when i see the first buds
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