Sweet Pea Pods

Have been neglecting the garden of late and while catching up with Garden duty noticed i have pods on my sweet peas. My question is what do i do with the pods? Are they seeds for next year? I have not got a Scooby.

Any help much appreciated:thumb:

 

Cut them off and you will get more flowers. Leave the odd few on and let them mature for next years seeds. :thumb:

 

Excellent.......................Pal when you say mature what do you mean[size]? And where do i store the pods or do i open them up to extract the seed?

 

You is really picking my brain 'aint you mate:D
Leave the pods on the vine until it's withered and dried up,the seeds in the pods will be hard and dry.Take them from the pods and label them and wait 'till next March.:thumb:

 

Pal you is a Legend,..............................I thank You

Cheers Nick

 

Just remember, that when a sweet pea produces pods, it will stop flowering.

Oh yea...store the seeds in a brown paper bag. YOu can plant them indoors or a greenhouse in approx November to get them started for the following year if you wish. I would go half and half. Some planted indoors and the others planted outdoors yea.

 

Thanks for asking that Slinky and Pal & Tweaky for answering. I have had the best display of SP's this year (not massive, but best for me). I didn't know that about the pods, flowering etc.

Does it matter how long the pods have been on to produce more flowers? I have had some on for a few weeks now, have I lost more flowers?

cheers

 

Yes lass.

As soon as seed pods appear, that particular plant will spend all its energy at the expense of the flowers.

The only way to stop them podding is to keep cutting the flowers off. Which are lovely of course in the house in small vases.

 

If I'm especially on top of things, I'll dead-head sweet pea flowers that are starting to go over - you can see the pod start to appear. Doesn't happen often! :D

 

I would just like to add that if you want to plant your seeds early (November) to flower next year you don't need a heated greenhouse or even a greenhouse for that matter.

The first year I grew ours on the window sill and the second year outside in a cold frame both ways worked wonderfully well and saying how cold last winter was it didn't hurt the sweetpeas at all in the unheated cold frame.Hel.xxx.

 

Cheers Hel,will Start the SPs off on window-sill this November

 

Thanks for your replies all.

tweaky, so if you have to cut the flowers off, then it's not 'dead heading' as such is it, cos the flowers aren't dead???? Do you wait till they're nearly finished then?

Bu**er, i've lost loads now then. I'll have to remember that for next year! I suppose if you have to cut them off then at least, as has been said, you can take them indoors.

Helen, thanks mate, that gives me something to do in November now, I can just hear Ray moaning, lol.

cheers

 

If you wait until the flowers die...that can increase the chances of the plant podding. I cut them before they start to die, that encourages more flowers.:thumb:

 

:thumb:Thanks, I'm making notes of all this info so I don't forget next year or ask the same blooming questions:rolleyes:

cheers

 

I have had the opposite results from Borrowers, my SPs ( Spencer wave mixed )have not performed very well this year. Two years ago I bought some seedling from the GC and they were fantastic ! But I cant remember the type :(
What SP does anyone advise for a good loud multi colour show at about 6 foot . So the grandkids can plant them :D Also you can plant SPs in the same ground every year can't you ?

TIA