Sweet Peas

What a nice problem to have, Shirley!

Yes indeed! I even went out in the rain to cut them, found one snail and a large slug trying to eat the foliage.
Hmm, they are both in the brown bin now, hopefully chomping away in there .....

Condemned man and last meal, eh??

Shirley how wonderful!
We got it very wrong this year with ours and they have been awful! The slugs and snails got to them and now the pathetic ones that remain are covered in greenfly!!! I love their scent so I hope that we get a few.!

Well done Shirley, you obviously have the right touch!

Oh Chris, such a shame - the scent is actually possibly too strong right now!

Julia, even our cat stopped in her tracks when she caught a whiff of them ... :o)

Sheila, I have sown the seeds in November/December for the past 2 years, kept them growing on in the cold greenhouse and then put them outdoors to harden off before finally planting them out. This year I have them climbing up obelisks in five different places. To be honest I'm not sure if I will sow any more this year, all getting a bit too much . . . :o(

I try to have some every year and this year is no exception. I have just picked my first small bunch, which are in the downstairs loo. I'm hoping for many more. Yours look to have lovely long stems. They are the epitomy of summer aren't they?

Well done Julia ... I have to say that I'm so pleased with the dark pink, white and lilac/white as their stems are really long!

I am in the same boat with mine this year, Wildrose. First
the slugs ate them & then they got greenfly, so only a few blooms so far. Last year they were OK. Shirley's are lovely,
lucky her:-)

Thanks Josie, they are a faff to sow and grow, then tie them into the obelisks or whatever they're going to climb up, but then I do love to cut them for indoors!

Shirley, I have to confess I have always bought plug plants each year, but reading that you grow yours in a cold greenhouse in Nove/Dec I might give it a try. You say you harden them off before planting out, but when do you actually plant out? I don't usually plant anything out until mid-May.

A divine fragrance, Shirley! A beautiful collection of sweet peas.

Julia, I sowed the seeds early February this year, in an unheated greenhouse, was told years ago never to 'molly-coddle' Sweet Peas so they went outdoors as soon as they were about 6" tall. Left them outdoors, sheltered against the house wall, for a couple of weeks and planted them out late April/early May.

Thanks Kate, prior to having a greenhouse, I sowed them indoors, then put them in a cold frame before finally planting them in the ground.

Waddy, that’s what I used to do, and would do again another year. Like Shirley I grew ours from seed this year and they were a pain!

I might try both ways next year. Watch this space.

I actually recall saying to OH that it was too much bother when planting them, giving them short canes to cling to, tying soft twine (or cotton when the twine ran out!) around said canes & obelisks etc. etc. but what's the betting I shall do the same next year !!

Lol!!! :-0) I said I would stop buying seed as the cost of compost and the fiddling about pricking out, potting on and soforth wasn't worth it. I followed my own rule this year, for obvious reasons but I'm already considering growing Sweet Peas (your fault)!

Nope, I'm not taking the blame for that. It's a case of "I used to be indecisive, but I'm not sure now"! :o))

Lol!!! ;-0))

I love that expression, Shirley!

David, it always makes me smile!

Was that Woody Allen maybe?!

Tommy Cooper, I personally didn't like his humour but that quote is funny!

Can you believe we found a DVD of Tommy Cooper's in a charity shop and settled down to have a good laugh. We watched it all the way through with out so much as a titter. Just shows how our humour changes over the years.

Mine haven’t done well this year but glad to hear that yours are blooming!

Julia, sometimes you can see why items are donated to charity!!

Thanks Ams., I just hope the wind eases soon as it's blowing everything sideways ... :o(

Haha...love that quote! Fab sweet peas Shirley...

Janey, I have heard it so often but I still smile at it!

I had to tie some of the Sweet Peas up again today as these strong winds are causing havoc . . . :o(

Love sweet peas, and that vase of them looks super, so many colours. Are you going to save some seed pods for next year?

Possibly Lindak, the deep pink, and white with lilac seem to have the longer stems, the other dark ones not as long so I may keep the former.