the sweet pea thread has gone!

but anyway...mine really need to go out now cos they're huge and I need the space in my growhouse

do they like pooh? or do they need rubbish soil to make them flower?

The chap at my plot said they like fertile ground but NO nitrogen.
has pooh got nitrogen in it?

I put mine with the runner beans, usually I thought beans gave nitrogen...

put mine with the runner beans anorl cos saves having separate supports and I hate growing crops on their own Grow em in whatever you can get your hands on Tara. I put mine in yesterday where the soil is dry and undug but I went down a bit with me trowel and it was ok so I bashed it about a bit to make it finer cos they won't put their roots down in concrete. I have a trug of soil from under me leafmould bin which is mixed with leafmould, compost out me dalek and some sharp sand. I'm using that whenever I need to plant owt that needs a bit of tlc

I wouldn't grow em in just poo cos I reckon they'll burn off. Unless it's well rotted that is

the better the feed the bigger the flowers

... and keep picking them to make the grow more

oh and tying them in

Mine are flowering - thanks for the seeds Windy - haven't grown very tall though. It'll be interesting to see how well they cope with the heat. Actually the whole year is turning into an experiment - I'm losing loads of seedlings to the heat, I water them in the morning and by the time I come back they've dried out completely. Need some more trays I reckon. Any way by the time I get the timings and evrything sussed I reckon it'll be time to come home

Wouldn't it make more sense to souse them in the evening Andy ... seem to remember we did that in Naiirobi. That way they get the chance to sup up some liquid goodness in the cool of the night before the nxt baking!!

... or may both !!

in the Middle East i watered early morning AND evening... but then it was hotter than Cyprus even I had toms and basil growing amongst the bougainvilliers .... even then peeps thought me odd

I've tried both - and have still lost loads But it's a learning curve. Jo is at home at the minute so I should be getting a load of vermiculite so will be able to try G2's method

Might be the soil Over there we grew stuff in what was called 'sweet sand' Looked like normal sand but worked wonders ...

I have just sown some s.peas today ... according to T&M they are plant of the year 2008!! They are red, white and blue called "Flying the Flag"

Mine are about an inch tall now Flo and out in the cold greenhouse. Love sweet peas - smelly ones that is

Are there any other kind ???

yeah, the non-smelly perennial ones

tsk

My skylark sweet peas are about 6 inches tall. Heard somewhere I should pinch out growing tip, should I? Why?

Yes

By pinching out the original growing tip ... back to the 3-4th set of leaves forces the plant to put out side shoots ... from the base as well as the leaf nodes and thus create a much bushier plant ... and more possibilities for more flowers ... but it does mean more feeding too!!

Thankyou ,looks like a job for tomorrow then

pinched mine out yesterday as they were looking dead floppy.

Me sweetpeas dint look up to much either

Planted some of mine into their final position during the week. In a trough on the patio ... lovely smell just next to the patio table interesting colours too Red White & Blue .. they are called Flying the Flag!!

That'll be great Flo. I was thinking of planting sommat smelly near my lotty table, night scented stocks I think (mixed with Virginian ones)

I planted some sweet peas at home but the chickens were pulling them out faster than I could plant em. Going to put some up the bean rig poles on the lotty when I get them put up that is

They look pretty on the plot don't they ... have a few mystry ones to take up there!!

Chooks can be a real problem sometimes !! Try feeding them it helps !!!!!!

Picked some of mine too, what a lovely scent. Supposed to be shades of blue and white, but some are definitely a pinky purple. But still lovely

I love sweet peas, they have to be one of my favourite flowers