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Post by scrumpy on Apr 19, 2015 19:19:12 GMT
No need to keep them indoors. They'll be fine outside, just protect them from heavy rain. I started a few extras myself for friends 13th March. I used rootrainers. I stopped them by pinching out the growing tip above the 2nd set of leaves to encourage side shoots. They now look like this  They've been left outside. When yours look like these they'll be ready to plant out. |
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Post by libralady on Apr 19, 2015 21:46:07 GMT
Oh dear - mine don't look as strong as yours but will pinch them out as you suggest to encourage side shoots. And then hope for the best ! I will try some over winter for next year. I love sweet peas as they were my dad's favourite flowers - and I think that's what first sparked my interest in gardening when I was a young lass.
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Post by scrumpy on May 7, 2015 20:04:36 GMT
Two weeks till the first bloom  |
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Post by scrumpy on May 7, 2015 20:08:59 GMT
No need to keep them indoors. They'll be fine outside, just protect them from heavy rain. I started a few extras myself for friends 13th March. I used rootrainers. I stopped them by pinching out the growing tip above the 2nd set of leaves to encourage side shoots. They now look like this They've been left outside. When yours look like these they'll be ready to plant out. All of those, 32, went to Bev Chislett. He usually grows loads but hasn't been very well and didn't start any off. When I found out I gave him a ring and he was keen to have them. So now, at this years national, Bev might be able to enter one vase of 7 in division 6, instead of 12 vases of 15 |
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Post by Cherry on May 8, 2015 15:57:32 GMT
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Post by Tel on May 8, 2015 19:10:51 GMT
Good on you scrumpy, there is some generous people on here. |
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Post by robh on Jun 4, 2015 20:40:50 GMT
are sweet peas easy to grow something i have never tried growing them before
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Post by scrumpy on Jun 4, 2015 21:16:25 GMT
Easy to grow, difficult to look after if you grow for exhibition.
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Post by scrumpy on Jun 22, 2015 13:01:19 GMT
Well what a season so far. Worst ever for me. Bud drop after bud drop, thought they were recovering but a few starting to show more signs. Anyway, it's the nationals on Friday. I've entered 8 classes, so we'll have to wait and see what this week brings. It's all seedlings again. The "proper" varieties I'm growing over the allotment , Just Julia and Millenium,have really suffered. Strong plants,but not one decent bloom. They've been layered once and need doing again. I may get some blooms off them in time for Wem, 3rd week in July. Anyway, as I said, it's all seedlings and those that have flowered, some have been really good. The cream and pink/cream have been 100% true to colour. The Sir Jimmy lookalike 90%. The rest I can't really say as I'm still waiting for them all to flower. Here's a picture of some I took to the local shop for selling.  These are the 6 colours arranged beautifully  |
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Post by scrumpy on Jun 22, 2015 13:07:52 GMT
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Post by scrumpy on Jun 25, 2015 21:27:14 GMT
Just cut about 100 blooms as rain due tomorrow morning. They looked good in the dark, look good bunched up in the vases.Will sort through them tomorrow morning to see if I can find some decent ones for showing |
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Post by Raymond on Jun 29, 2015 18:52:47 GMT
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Post by scrumpy on Jun 29, 2015 19:18:06 GMT
After a tortuous near 4 hour journey in blazing heat I ended up with enough blooms to do 4 vases. Got 2 firsts, 1 2nd and one 3rd. Cream ones and the Sir Jimmy lookalike both won. Mixed vase of 7 came 2nd, and a mixed vase of 9 came 3rd. My neighbour, doing his first national in only his 2nd year growing them, got 2 firsts and a 2nd. His were particularly good, and his results were more remarkable because he only grows 42 plants. Just shows what can be done with so few * * Though I did provide him with the plants |
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Post by Raymond on Jun 29, 2015 21:58:15 GMT
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Post by Tel on Jun 30, 2015 11:01:24 GMT
Well done the pair of you. |
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