Which sweet pea ?

I had grown sweet peas for years , but the ones I grew in 2009 and 2010 did not perform very well, I was growing mixed spencer varieties ( I think). They seemed to flower late and mainly near the top of a scruffy and leggy plant. There was a thread on here where other members had poor performance from their SP's at this time . I want to give them another go for next year . Can anyone recommend a variety and supplier of a reliable SP ? I am not after a show standard one , just one to cover a 8 foot high trellis with lots of flowers , at the back of a border in full sun.

TIA

 

I had some from the garden center this year and they went mad!!! Just plain white ones, nicely scented though. Plants not from seed.

 

Sweet Pea

Tried Floral Tribute mixed (T&M), New Horizons Mix, and Cupani (both Suttons) this year with excellent results.
John

 

I bought mine from all over the place, and I had a mixed display of colour on one of my fence panels.

I bought some off Ebay, the free ones from a copy of Gardeners' World magazine and then some branded packs from Wilko's!

 

Thanks Catz and Kyle - I was after a specific type with recommended performance. Actually Catz I bought some SP plants , unknown type , from the nursery a few years ago and they perfomed great - though it was that very hot summer 4 yrs ago.
Cheers John I have just ordered a packet of T & M Floral tribute which were on Ebay , I'll plant them next month. here's hoping I get a better display for 2012 :happydance:

 

Hi HarryS
You may or may not already know this ..
Once your sweetpeas are up and growing I would pot up singly (they do like a deep pot and you can buy sweetpea tubes, but I just use 3.5in pots) then once growing nip out the tips after 2 pairs of leaves,this will encourage strong side shoots. Overwinter in coldframe or similar, plant out in late spring, and once flowering begins keep cutting off all dead heads ,this will encourage them to continue to flower ..I grow mine one to an 8ft cane tied in and remove side shoots and tendrils. but this will give quality flowers but not quantity ..
Hope this helps ..

Dave

 

Thanks Dave
I have used Root Trainers® , and find everything falls apart when you open them . Cardboard toilet roll tubes , which tend to disintegrate over winter:wallbang: So I'll take your tip and use 3" pots , plant them up in October and raise them in a cold potting shed.
I will be planting most along a border fence , how would SPs perform in containers

 

Hi Harry ..
Must admit have not tried them in containers but a fee of my friends have had good results ..I would think you need to maintain good watering and feed regular..

Dave

 

Regarding root trainers or deep pots, my grandad used to use plastic plumbing pipe (about 2" diameter and cut in 6-8" lengths) and then cut it in half length ways, he then either taped them back together or used elastic bands, filled them with compost, packed them in a seed tray and planted his sweet pea seed. When they were ready to be planted out he simply removed the elastic bands or tape opened up the tube and then he had a perfect root ball ready to plant out :thumb: