Sweetpeas

[sewer rat]

I have the perrenial sweet pea in my garden and it comes up trumps every year. Thisd year I sowed five seeds of six varieties and every single one has germinated and is now starting to grow away - need to but more canes as will run out of wigwams at this rate.

[eskymo]

I didn't know there was a perenial sweet pea - what's it called. Does it self seed then and come up every year?

[sewer rat]

Hi Eskymo
It's called Lathyrus odoratus- comes up every year, regular as clockwork - so much so that I have not moved my bamboo wigwam for the last three years - just lash the plant to it as it smothers it

[eskymo]

I'm gonna get some - thanks for the tip!

[Lesley Jay]

So am I - thanks Rat!

[SueA]

I had some pink perennial sweet peas which I grew from a couple of seedlings my neighbour gave me. They didn't have any scent & were a bit thuggish, nearly pulling down the trellis they grew up, they used to die back a lot in the winter but when I cut them back to about 1ft above ground would regrow in spring, but then suddenly one year they just died off completely. Not as dainty as annual sweet peas but good for covering something quickly.

[eskymo]

Do you cut yours back Rat? Or do you just let them die down?

[sewer rat]

I just let mine die back then rip them off the wigwam and compost the stems. They re-emerge every year no bother.
As SueA says they can be a bit thuggish and not terribly delicate, but up here, that's not always a bad thing - like my plants to be hard as nails !

[sewer rat]

Thousand apologies to Eskymo and LJ and anyone else I have managed to mislead. Told you the everlasting sweetpea was Lathyrus odoratus - its not it's Lathyrus grandiflorus - sorry, been potting on heaps of sweetpeas this afternoon and have lathyrus odoratus on the brain - does that make me an anorak or what

[eskymo]

yes, I guess it does

[SueA]

Didn't think you meant 'odoratus' Rat as they have a nice scent & the perennials don't but didn't know what the perennial ones were called.

[sewer rat]

Eskymo
Thanks for the vote of confidence !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[eskymo]

Well I think you might need an anorak after your stag night to cover yourself up!

[JennieAtkinson]

Just did a search on sweet peas as I think I need to pinch out now. This was all very interesting! I must have missed it first time around.

How are your sweet peas doing Eskymo? I think mine need pinching out now, as they are about 3" tall. I just hate taking anything off the plant that is growing. I now it is for the best!

Did anyone manage to find a supplier for Rat's perennial sweet pea. Anything thuggish should do well up here!

[Jersey Jan]

Hi Jennie - well you may have the best of the light but us down here at the other end of the country seem to have a bit more warmth. My sweetpeas are about 4-5ft tall now and I have already picked two big bunches, which are scenting my kitchen as I type. Don't suppose they'll last as long as yours though as will be over within a few weeks....