[Bailz]

is it too late to sow sweet peas and do they have to have a trelas to climb.

[fatcat1955]

You can start them now and thet will need something to climb on.

[RichardA]

a wigwam of canes are fine BUT they do not climb on their own so need tying every 6 inches or so. Professionals use 8 foot canes and then when sweet peas reach top they untie each sweet pea plant and lay along row so they have another 8 foot of cane to grow up -- called cordon method. But that is very labour intensive and for show purposes and ordinary methods such as cane wigwams or a trellis still produce a nice result.Good luck with all the tying in. Enjoy the flowers.
R

[Trillium]

I used netting with my sweet peas, which I'm just seeding outside this week. But the stupid plants don't know what to do and I spend a lot of time weaving them in and out of the netting. This year I'm simply tying them in as DD does with his peas: support sticks opposite on each side, then lengths of string run around and around so the plants are essentially fenced in. Don't use thin canes as the plants get heavy and can pull them down.

[chrissie B]

i bought some sweetpeas they looked healthy but seem a bit pale now whats the best thing to give them ?
chrissie b

[Yorkie]

I'd probably give them a quick liquid general purpose feed to perk them up, unless you think it might be a particular nutrient deficiency?

Perhaps seaweed or maxicrop?

[N.WalesIdealist]

You can plant sweet peas pretty much any time from late January to the end of May. Of course very early sowings should be in the GH. Most areas are suitable for outside planting now, pop them into the ground with some of sort of support structure in place already and water. In about 10 days you'll have little seedlings popping through, protect them mice, birds, slugs and wind until they are bug enough to tie into the support, about 6 inches tall. If you're growing for a nice even coverage then continue to tie in the stems every 6 inches spreading them out nicely. To grow a tall prolific flowering plant, when the plant is 6 inches tall cut off all but the strongest shoot and tie it in. Over the course of the growing year, pinch out all side shoots and tendrils and continue to tie in. Mulching is vital as sweet peas hate drying out.