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Post by scrumpy on Dec 7, 2012 22:23:39 GMT
take your pick from this lot cooltonagh.co.uk/cisp/suppliersindex.htmlAs to varieties to grow, trial and error i'm afraid. What's good in one garden may be poor in another. However, Millenium , White Frills, Gwendoline, Sir Jimmy Shand are good on the show bench, and grow well for me. This year, i've saved all my own seed and am growing 3 different seedlings that could end up any colour. I tie mine up single canes every 3 days. |
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Post by Cherry on Dec 8, 2012 12:12:18 GMT
Moonlight, I use www.rpsweetpeas.co.uk/ They are not expensive. Sweetpea buys his from another good source. Do try them. |
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Post by sweetpea on Dec 8, 2012 18:49:11 GMT
Hi moonlight,the varieties you grow will depend on what you want. If intending to show them I would reccomend taking a look at the NSPS wesite or go with Scrumpy said.
if you want to show you will need (preferably0 3 times as many plants as stems required so for a 15 vase exhibit, grow 45 plants to give you a selection.
If just for garden decoration and some cut flowers for indoors then go for the colours you like plus some better scented varieties.
If scent is the prime cosideration then you can't beat the old fashioned varieties.
As cherry says Roger Parsons does a good selection,. I use Kerton's sweetpeas but have used most suppliers over the years. usually looking for the cheapest seed.
There is so much written and discussed over best methods to grow but any method is as good as any other if it works for you.
One of the tricks re seed is to tip them out into a saucer and grade them discarding any unusually small or large seeds and aim for all your seed to be regular in size and colour and also healthy looking with no 'furring' on the embryo.
I use any discarded seed by sticking them in the ground around the garden. waste not want not.
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Post by Moonlight on Dec 8, 2012 21:38:40 GMT
Thankyou all for your recommendations.  I really appreciate it.
If I were going to enter in a show our local Horticultural Society has 5 sweetpea categories:
3 vases- 7 blooms of 1 different variety in each vase.
1 vase, 7 stems of 1 variety, pink and red shades or picotee
1 vase, 7 stems of 1 variety, any shade other than in previous class
1 vase, 7 stems, more than 1 variety
Container of mixed sweetpeas.
There is also a 'Sweetpea bowl' for the winner of the highest no. of points in sweetpea classes & a National Sweetpea society's medal for the best exhibit.
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Post by sweetpea on Dec 8, 2012 23:09:51 GMT
Will have a think about that later as it is past my bedtime now  when is your show date? |
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Post by Moonlight on Dec 8, 2012 23:22:14 GMT
Sunday 23rd June
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Post by Tel on Dec 9, 2012 9:18:29 GMT
Sweetpea might have 'chipped', but he taught me to sow the seeds straight in to the pot at a regular depth. I can't even remember what depth this is, but I have an elastic band around the pencil at the correct depth which I use as a dibber. He grew prizewinning sweetpeas. He still grows them, but doesn't show them now. Is that right SP?[/quote] Yes cherry. If I remember right the rubber band is on a pencil and set for 3/4" depth. The main thing is that they are all the SAME depth allowing regular germination. however there is always one or two precocious seedlings and an occasional laggard. I've stopped exhibition stuff mainl because it is much more difficult to manage the extra work since my stroke.
I tend to take things more easy nowadays. Don't fret about problems etc. if the slugs want a meal so what. Its not the end of the world. Apparently that's this month  but I wouldn't worry about it.
I sit back and enjoy the garden and all the creatures in it (and the plants of course)[/color] I like your attitude Sweetpea, Like you say just enjoy your garden and long may you continue to share your knowledge with us. |
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Post by Moonlight on Dec 9, 2012 10:35:23 GMT
totally agree with you Tel
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Post by sweetpea on Dec 9, 2012 17:12:15 GMT
moonlight, for your show: 3 vases of 7 stems; i would suggest red, white & blue eg white frills or white supreme (both excellent whites) Charlies Angel (pale blue)or Linda C (mid blue) millenium (red), Dave Thomas (red) 1 vase 7 stems pink/red or picotee Anniversary (picotee) Mollie Rilstone (picotee) both good varietis 1 vase other than above: Honeymoon, Gwendoline, Zillah Harrod 1 vase more than 1 variety I would suggest for a vase of 7 stems either 4 and 3 or (2 rows0 or a single row of 7, 2 - 3 - 2 Hope this helps The varieties I mentioned are available at www.kertonsweetpeas.co.uk but of course the choice is yours as there are so many. Get them sown soon as. In the greenhouse or indoors and then outside in a coldframe as soon as they show So called 'Spring sown' actually takes place in Jan/Feb so a misnomer really. in this case I would pinch out after 4 pairs of leaves and select the strongest shoot to grow on. normally I don't pinch out but time is of the essence here. Autumn sowings, ie october, are usually so much better but excellent results can still be got from these later sowings. hope this helps. |
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I really appreciate it.
but I wouldn't worry about it.
