Back in the UK, Stuart was ace at growing sweet peas. So he thought he would continue with his love of them and plant some here. The first lot we planted was from an ordinary packet of seeds from the garden centre and this was the result
Each day he would pick a bunch and the house was filled with the wonderful perfume. Then (before Brexit) we bought seeds from some of the UK’s specialist sweet peas growers, even paying tax and duties on the packages.
From that day to this, we’ve had abysmal results. The seeds are always sown in top quality seed compost and they seem to germinate well. But it’s downhill from then on. We’ve tried using well water, tap water, bottled water but get the same result each year. Disappointment doesn’t come into it! And each year, we say we won’t grow any more but we’re gluttons for punishment.
It’s not as if we don’t know about gardening and how to grow and tend seedlings. We’ve used the different methods described by the seed suppliers for ‘the best results’ but we’ve never got a result like the ones in the photo above.
What methods and/or results have you had when growing these beautiful flowers.
Some years ago I cultivated a small plot half in shade of about 4 sq. metres and planted all sorts. They all came up but I couldn’t cope, no way could we eat them all. Same with spuds earlier. Ate what I could the first year but then gave up.
The buggers came back again all by themselves the next year.
I had a good crop last year, until the heat arrived. Just cheap Lidl ones but they were lovely. Some I planted in toilet rolls but tbh the ones I direct sowed caught up. This year I was too late, they haven’t flowered yet, however very interestingly they haven’t died. I’m hoping if I can Jeep them alive they may flower in the end of summer when it cools down!
Mine do, I understood it is the perennial ones that don’t?
They’re posh peas when you strip it down so they’re really sensitive to watering. Deep rich soil helps (more to hold moisture than the actual nutrients -) - regular watering and stopping things eating them (sheep - deer - rabbits - slugs). My experience is they transition from “want to die” to manic - the moment stems thicken they spring into life - and things stop eating them
But they’re odd plants - our coddled ones are just making that transition to thicker stems and looking like they may finally start growing - the self seeded wild ones are thriving full of flowers despite no rain and high temps for 3 weeks.
