Sweet peas

[Twynyrodyn]

On radio 2 today, Terry Walton said to pinch off the top of sweet peas when the seedlings have 4 leaves, as this will make them bushy and give you 4 good climbing stems when youplant then out. Do you do the same with ordinary peas and other climbing plants, like beans and cucumbers? I also learned not to put manure on the carrot and brassica plots. I didn't know that either! Thank you Terry.

[Guest]

There are a lot of ways to treat sweet peas but it really does depend on what end result you are trying to achieve and what you are prepared to do in between. I have never intentionally done it with peas and beans but frost and slugs have done it for me

[Bren In Pots]

On radio 2 today, Terry Walton said to pinch off the top of sweet peas when the seedlings have 4 leaves, as this will make them bushy and give you 4 good climbing stems when youplant then out. Do you do the same with ordinary peas and other climbing plants, like beans and cucumbers? I also learned not to put manure on the carrot and brassica plots. I didn't know that either! Thank you Terry.

Twynyrodyn like NG says its theres lots of different ways to grow sweetpeas, this year what if you pinch the tops out of half your seedling then see which works out the best for you. As for pinching out other crops i pinch out the tops of my runner beans and tall peas once they nearly reach the top of the canes.

[Martin H]

I pinch out the tops of my sweet pea seedlings whether I'm growing them as cordons or "au naturel". The sideshoots are much thicker and stronger than the original shoot.

I haven't tried this with edible peas.

[ancee]

I tried pinching last year and forgot to look to see if it made a difference to previous years when I didn't pinch! Rubbish I am. This year I'm also trying perennial sweet peas, didn't even know they existed, they don't flower until next year though, so I also have normal annuals too. Not a shoot appearing from either set yet, but I did only plant them last week, I am a tad impatient. Conversely, the corn cockles and cosmos I planted at the same time have gone mad and I wish they'd slow down a bit!

[Nicos]

I read 3rd -4th pair of leaves or 6-8" high.

My 4th pair are at about 12"!!!!!
Clearly not enough light!....so I've followed the 3-4 th pair rule...some at 4 and the leggier ones at 3.

This is the first time I've ever nipped out.
It was a lot less painful than I was expecting