[mrswashi]

My sweet peas just about seem to have finished flowering now, although did pick a small bunch today.
What's the best thing to do when they've finished?
Chop down/ pull up/ compost/ etc?
Thanks
Mrswashi

[Sweetpea C]

I always let a few go over into seeds to plant in the cold frame on October - free plants :-) I've been doing this for years. Then when they are all brown and dead I compost them.

[Mrs Bee]

I agree. Let some go over and get to brown pod stage andlet them dry out completely.

I keep the seeds in a brown paper bag until next Spring. Haven't bought sweetpea seeds for years.

Did use to sow in the October but did a trial and found that they didnt do any better than the Spring sown ones, so I stick to the spring.

I pull up the plants and compost after I get the seeds.

[mrswashi]

Many thanks, I do have a few brown, dry ones now, so I'll keep them.
Just didn't want them to fly over into the next allotment and surprise them next year 
Mrswashi

[Annen]

I always let a few go over into seeds to plant in the cold frame on October - free plants :-) I've been doing this for years. Then when they are all brown and dead I compost them.

Don't know why but it has never occurred to me to do that with sweet peas What a good idea! 
Will the fact that the leaves are mildewed make a difference to the quality of the seed?

[Mrs Bee]

I always let a few go over into seeds to plant in the cold frame on October - free plants :-) I've been doing this for years. Then when they are all brown and dead I compost them.

Don't know why but it has never occurred to me to do that with sweet peas What a good idea! 
Will the fact that the leaves are mildewed make a difference to the quality of the seed?

Most of my plants have mildew every year; I keep the seeds and have no trouble with them.

[Sweetpea C]

I've checked myy Giant Navy (which were neither giant or navy  but pretty anyway) and they are covered in white and green insects. I've attacked them with a bug spray in the hope that I will still get some seeds. They haven't done all that well this year.