A Tale of Woe...

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Emaggie, Jul 9, 2020.

  1. Emaggie

    Emaggie Gardener

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    Has anyone else found that sweet peas this year are not as good as usual?
    I usually put the seeds (last years saved mixed with a fresh packet) in the ground in November and always have an excellent show. I didn’t sow until March this year and had three germinated! The carrots were also a no-show, and the runner beans are very slow. What a tale of woe! It gets worse, the pigeons beat me to all the fruit on my only red currant bush and the squirrel ate a good portion of strawberries, taking unripe fruit to store under the lavender bush!
    I’m sitting here with my catapult, daring anything to go near my fig tree. :paladin:
     
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    • ARMANDII

      ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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      Hi Emaggie, I've given up growing the annual Sweet Peas and now only grow the perpetual variety which climbs up my Trellis entrance to the garden.

      [​IMG]

      But I'm sure there are a lot of the GC Gang who grow the annual variety.:cat-kittyandsmiley::coffee:
       
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      • Emaggie

        Emaggie Gardener

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        Usually I keep the street in sweet peas! How long do the perpetual type flower for Armandii? Is it a longer season than the annual?
         
      • ARMANDII

        ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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        Well, Emaggie, if I think about it, it's usually from around June until September/October but it all depends on the kind of year we're having.:cat-kittyandsmiley::coffee:
         
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        • Emaggie

          Emaggie Gardener

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          Well worth thinking about. :rolleyespink: :biggrin:
           
        • ARMANDII

          ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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          Any plant to me, Emaggie, as the GC Gang will tell you, is worth thinking about:dunno::heehee:
           
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          • CarolineL

            CarolineL Total Gardener

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            Hi @Emaggie I had very mixed germination results - some came up very quickly and another batch just rotted! However the ones that did come through are flowering wonderfully. The snag with the perpetual ones is the lack of scent - I just love the perfume of the annuals!
             
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            • Mike Allen

              Mike Allen Total Gardener

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              Lathyrus latifolia. > Everlasting sweet pea. This must be the first botanical name I learned. A great favourite of the day. Strong plant, and strong well presented flowers. Sadly when ones nose was thrust at it. Alas. No scent. So in time adventuouse gardeners produced sports and in time many new varieties of the sweet pea. Growing them soon became something of a competition. In past times, within the walls of stately homes. Floral decorations played a very important part not only for the residents but perhaps more so for visiting guest. The delicate flower somehow attracted ones attention and despite have practically no perfume, nevertheless it still remained a great favourite.

              Thanks to the great efforts of gardeners and nurserymen, the introduction of new varieties soon spread. Amazingly so, but suddenly this humble pea type flower produced a very delicate scent. The sweet pea has remained a great favourite amongst gardeners and florist. Sadly gardeners are experiencing some dissappointments. New varieties are being introduced and so we tend to make a grab for them. Ooops! Oh dear! What have I done wrong? I sowed the seed accoring to the instructions. Germination has been patchy. Growth, well? should I have pulled them down?

              Truly. Honestly. Perhaps I look beyond the garden. I have made it a practice to specialise in growing certain plants. Roses, fuchsias, lilies etc. Perhaps concentrating more on the scientific side. For what it's worth. Yes there are each year, more and more new varieties on the market. They are. Here today and gone tomorrow. Check out the lists and catalogues. So many new commers fail to last. Whereas, those old favourites are still in demand. So. What is the answer??
               
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              • shiney

                shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                Sweet peas have been a bit variable this year. Germination was fairly good but a bit slow.

                One of the annual varieties that we overlooked cutting down last year continued to flower all through the winter :scratch:. They ere 6ft tall through the winter but produced flower at all heights - alongside the seed pods from the summer. :rolleyespink:

                So we've taken seeds from them to see how they go in future. Just a very faint scent from them.
                P1470795.JPG

                The everlasting ones pop up all over the garden - presumably planted by the wildlife.

                Just now coming through the Hydrangea and also smothering the lilies. We really must try and keep them under control :doh:
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                The annuals produced enough to leave us with spares after planting out - they haven't performed as well as usual. The spares were added to hanging baskets :noidea:
                P1490055.JPG

                P1480739.JPG
                 
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                • shiney

                  shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                  Runner beans always have good germination but the pigeons can be a big nuisance :mad: So I use CD's to keep them away.
                  P1480654.JPG

                  P1480655.JPG

                  That was a month ago. With the addition of lots of watering through the hot dry spell we are now picking them - although the blackfly have gone mad.
                  P1490033.JPG
                   
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                  • HarryS

                    HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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                    My usual very successful SPs, have been a disaster this year. No problems with germination and growing on and pinching, but they have struggled after planting out early April. A couple are growing strong others look feeble or dead! Why :scratch:
                     
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                    • ARMANDII

                      ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                      That's easy, Mike, it's like jokes:dunno:.......the old ones are the best ones.:heehee:
                       
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                      • Emaggie

                        Emaggie Gardener

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                        Beautiful pics Shiney.
                        Mike, I think you are right. I bought Lady Di runner seeds this year, I thought I’d have a change. Bad move. They are pathetic. I should have stuck to the tried and tested! Sad to read you had a disappointment too HarryS.
                         
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                        • shiney

                          shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                          I'll give a report at the end of the season on how our different varieties of beans did. :)
                           
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                          • Snorky85

                            Snorky85 Total Gardener

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                            my "everlasting" sweet peas have been utter poop this year too. No sign of any flowers as yet. They usually go mad.
                             
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