Tallest Sweet Peas

**Jeanied** · 15-02-2010, 10:05 AM

I'm no sweet pea expert but I think the Spencer varieties are fairly tall, HW. The ones for exhibition are grown on a single mainstem and I think they take the sideshoots and tendrils off to focus on the bloom. For the normal grower I think the spacing is important - so that there is no crowding and less of a chance for mildew to spread- and feeding/ watering - sweet peas are very hungry feeders.
How about mingling them with Morning Glories - that blue with the pinks of the sweet peas could be good - again a hungry feeder so the old soluble plant food on watering is in order.

**Flummery** · 15-02-2010, 11:06 AM

I thought they were all tall - mine usually are. Maybe it's because they are in a trough - they like plently of moisure at their feet.

**Two_Sheds** · 15-02-2010, 02:28 PM

I've never known a short sweet pea ... mine are bog standard, and all topple over our 6 foot fences

**Flummery** · 15-02-2010, 04:28 PM

I think there's a dwarf one - called Snoopea or somesuch. But standard sweet peas are big, lad! Like yersen.

**FionaH** · 15-02-2010, 04:30 PM

Dunno which ones I grew last year, they were a gift from Selfraising. They were mighty tall though! I had to get the lads to cut the top ones for me, and they are pushing 6ft

**Pumpkin Becki** · 15-02-2010, 04:30 PM

Maybe you didn't feed and water them enough? Mine normally get to around 7ft and I usually only go for a general mixed pack, no specific variety.

**HeyWayne** · 15-02-2010, 04:35 PM

Originally posted by Flummery View Post

Like yersen.

Haven't heard that in ages!

I think I must have underfed them then. To be honest the soil is pretty poor - as it was filled with quite a bit of sandy rubble from when we did the garden, only the top 3-4 or so inches are actually soil of any description. At the time I wasn't really much of a gardener and we just bunged a load of bulbs in there (which the squirrels munched happily away on) - but now I quite like the colours and scents when sat up on the decking of a summer's afternoon supping drinks and eating barbecue.

Looks like I'll have to try and pack as much organic matter as I can into it and feed, feed, feed when watering.

**HeyWayne** · 15-02-2010, 04:37 PM

Originally posted by Pumpkin Becki View Post

Maybe you didn't feed and water them enough? Mine normally get to around 7ft and I usually only go for a general mixed pack, no specific variety.

I think that's it in a nutshell.

I'm such a scrooge.

**Pumpkin Becki** · 15-02-2010, 04:46 PM

Originally posted by HeyWayne View Post

I think that's it in a nutshell.

I'm such a scrooge.

Lots and lots of well rotted manure in the trough and maybe some water retaining granules, that'll help.

**bramble** · 15-02-2010, 05:36 PM

Lidl are selling sweet pea seeds at the moment for 99c per packet. They have the tall ones 6ft and the dwarf 3ft in stock. I counted them and there were 44 in one pack and 43 in the other. Very good value i think. The only thing is they are not a named variety but i have grown them before and didn't find any thing wrong with them.

**rustylady** · 15-02-2010, 05:40 PM

What variety did you grow Wayne? They may have been bred to be short.

**Jeanied** · 15-02-2010, 06:06 PM

The tall variety of sweet peas is the 'well fed and watered' variety!

**rustylady** · 15-02-2010, 06:28 PM

Originally posted by Jeanied View Post

The tall variety of sweet peas is the 'well fed and watered' variety!

Yes Jeanied, but some are specially bred to be dwarf.

**Burnzie** · 15-02-2010, 07:38 PM

Hi, if you pinch out some of the tendrils this will put extra vigour into upward growth and longer flower stems.

Burnzie

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