Why aren't my sweet peas flowering?

allydowd

Why aren't my sweet peas flowering?

All I've got is a two foot tall plant that is totally green with no sign of flowers.

peter_the_piper

Where are they planted, what are they planted into and what are you feeding them on.

Linda32

Mine are abit slow this year as well, I seem to have one or two flowers weekly.

When they do flower, make sure you cut them and put them in a vase, made up with other things if possible if you only have a couple. This encourages more flowers.

tanith

I put a dozen Sweetpea seedlings into a large pot like I always do, built a wigwam of canes and net for them to climb up the same as usual and after 5wks they are still only 4inches tall... I don't know whats wrong with them look healthy enough they just won't grow... I'm flummoxed lol

peter_the_piper

My same questions in post 2 applies to the other posters as well. Sweet peas are quite greedy and need a fair amount of water and feed to give their best.

Linda32

But I've boue ght and sown sweet peas for years, usually sown in the autumn as these always too much to do in the spring.

Last autumn I sowed some, which prompty froze in their pots So I sowed some in the spring and also bought some from the nursery where I work, as it happens I sowed those as well

I start with good intentions of feeding them, but never actually get around to it, no time, and yes I know it only take a minute to fill a watering can but hey-ho the upshot is that mine have always been foolproof without feed. Mine have nearly always been planted in the ground and only watered until established.

tanith

Mine have been fed and watered to no avail this year don't know whats gone wrong but they just won't grow.. last Summer I was picking them for weeks..

elantan

what type of feed do they like ... mine are looking kinda sad ... a bit like the rest of my garden this year tbh

angelavdavis

I must admit mine have been fabulous so far! I can't keep up with picking them to be honest.:)

However, comparing with others on my allotment, it is clear that your plants being in a windy spot seems to be likely the issue apparently.

The allotment site faces the sea where I am and gradually slops upwards (northwards).

I am right next to the allotment shop which actually seems to shelter the plot from most of the sea winds. Sweet peas are in full sun.

This year, my broad beans were fab, mange tout were producing in early April, sweet peas are spectacular and runners have already produced stack of beans (three large bags already in the freezer, yet the plants are still only three foot high).

When I compared results with others, many plot holders found that their broad beans were only pollinating lower down - the area out of the breeze. So we can only assume that this is because the bees prefer to be out of the wind. Many of my neighbours have lovely high runner bean plants but few flowers and no beans. Other people are also complaining that their sweet peas are also not producing flowers.

:idea:If yours are in a windy spot, it might be worth bordering the area with some wind-proofing - might be worth a try(?)

I gave lots of love to my runner beans - dug and filled a bean trench, but the broad beans (overwintered) and sweet peas haven't had the same amount of attention and to be honest, the weather has been particularly dry down on the South Coast - we did have a little rain last week though. I haven't fed my sweet peas yet, but will probably give mine a dose of nettle or comfrey tea in a couple of weeks.

A._Badger

You might be over feeding them - especially if you are using a fertiliser high in Nitrogen. Either switch to a high Potash fertiliser (Phostrogen works well) or stop feeding then altogether. Plants flower so that they can reproduce and if they are growing in luxurious conditions, the pressure to reproduce is lessened.