Eggasperated Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Picked myself a lovely bunch of sweetpeas last night to put on the dining room table; I forgot about the little black pollen beetles they get in them so I now have a table absolutely crawling with the things . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 I bet it's worth it! I must grow some next year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 One of my favourites too - I have some growing up the front of the house and they smell divine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Sweetpeas are my all time favourite. Some days I pick 2 bunches, but no pollen beetles for me or greenfly this year - must be the chicken poo I put in the soil putting them off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 You are all ahead of me.....mine are only just coming into flower tho they do smell lovely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Sweet Peas are my thing and each year I sow just short of a hundred seeds. This year, since our winter was so bad, I didn't plant them out till the very end May/ beg of June, so they are only a couple of feet tall. However, with this amazing sunshine , they are all in flower Hoping they will grow a bit too. Should be such a good year for them. Btw, did you know comfrey is a brilliant fertiliser for them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Thanks for the comfrey tip...I have loads so will start soaking leaves! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I bought a really pretty metal trellis this year, popped it into a pot & sowed my Sweet Peas around the base. They are in full bloom now & look really lovely....such delicate little things, with such great colours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Interesting that they like Comfrey, mine is going mad this year, as is the Borage. I will give them some in a liquid feed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Interesting that they like Comfrey, mine is going mad this year, as is the Borage. I will give them some in a liquid feed. Is the sweet peas which are going mad or the comfrey OH and I picked some more comfrey tonight. If it doesn't break down sufficiently before the end of the summer I'm going to try and store it over winter, somewhere frost free. That way I'll have a great vat of it next spring, just when I need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I bet it's worth it! I must grow some next year... Me too, I love sweet peas but last time I tried they all died, I must have another go next year. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Interesting that they like Comfrey, mine is going mad this year, as is the Borage. I will give them some in a liquid feed. Is the sweet peas which are going mad or the comfrey OH and I picked some more comfrey tonight. If it doesn't break down sufficiently before the end of the summer I'm going to try and store it over winter, somewhere frost free. That way I'll have a great vat of it next spring, just when I need it. The Comfrey and Borage are going mad, sweet peas are disappointing this year. I also planted some wild sweet pea seeds and they've not appeared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 I also planted some wild sweet pea seeds and they've not appeared. I tried perennial sweet peas 2yrs ago. kept them going for a year but lost them during last year's vile winter. For all things related to sweet peas I go here.http://www.eaglesweetpeas.co.uk/ Other places are available Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 I bought some sweet pea plants from the garden centre this year, but also planted Cupani from seed. They are my favourite with lovely purple flowers and smell wonderful. H garden centre plants have done nothing, but my the plants from seed are 3' tall now and starting to flower. * a tip for flea beetles is to pick a bunch of 'peas, then leave them in a vase of water in the shed with the door open. In an hour or so, the beetles head towards the light..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share Posted July 25, 2013 Thank you Christian - I knew there was some way of getting them out but couldn't remember what it was . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 I just shake the flowers to dislodge the critters, I have sweetpeas on my desk at work at the moment, but they're not lasting in this heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
