WINTER FLOWERING SWEET PEAS

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 35, 6 February 1930, Page 9

WINTER FLOWERING SWEET PEAS

To cultivate Winder' Sweet Peas stMcessf ully.' select a good warm situation, .sheltered from wind, to get as much, sun. as possible during, the winter. If you have.a fence'or border running east and west, and facing the' north, you have got an ideal position to grow Winter Peas. They will grow well in ot&er positions, but I have had most suer-ess on the fence or border east and west, facing north. In such a position you get any sun that shines in the winter pretty well all day. Having got your position to grow your Peas on, you will trencib. the border or break it v]» to .a depth from 2ft to 2ft 6in. See \&&t your land is well drained. This is very important. Sweet Peas wi. 11 • ri'.f thrive in badly drained soil..If you1 ftrfc working on maiden soil, you" need not add any manure. But if your ground i^ worked out, and you cannot . gst :-ome fresh soil, dig in a good supply or weL'. decayed manure, stable or farm yuru. If you are putting iainanurtf,J?o iiire to keep 6in.below the top, so that when you sow your seed the youn£ -rVcta will not-come in contact with the manure until they get a fair

start.

If possible, prepare your border a month or more before, you sow yoxaseedsj so that it will become firm. If you have to prepare your bed straight away, be sure to tramp.it well, as.you .w'li get better results from firm soilbeds . Your plants should Be sturdy, shoY' t jointed, and will do much better ttan on loose soil. It is a good plan to treat the soil with some insecticide before sowing your seeds, to kill and free the soil from any pests. Cliff's Manorial Insecticide one ounce to a square yard) turned lightly in. about a week or fortnight before sowing will clean the soil. A good dressing of lime is also good., and Sweet Peas like it, Select a good strain, sow in January

and February. You can sow where you plants are to grow, or you can get them up in pots- or boxes. .They transplant well, but I prefer to.sow them in rows where they are to remain. Water your ground well before you sow your seed. In transplanting your young plants, give plenty of Toom lit to 18in apart).

'Keep a sharp lookdut for slugs and snails. If they attack your plants give a good dusking of soot or lime: this will keep them away., You will need to ere it something for your plants to climb on. You can iise wire netting or briisihwood..

I prefer brushwood, as it does away with a lot of tying and training, and it also gives the- young the pror. per shelter, as it is very warm when they come up in January and February. If you use wire you will need to put some kind of artificial shade.

If you sieve some well rotted stable manure and mulch t&e young plants it will saves, a lot of worry. It keeps the soil cool, and if you should neglect to water they are not so liable to burn, off as they would probably do if nothing had -been applie \ to keep the strong sun from the roots. When the yoraig plants come up as soon as t&ey are. tall enough tie to small stakes ot twigs until they take hold of whatever fence you have .erected for them. *If not the wind whirls them around, ,and often breaks them off. When t&ey are about a foot high I nip the tops off, this 'encourages them to make sideshoots. earlier than' they would if left t© run straight up. Keep them growing'and free from weeds. When they start to show flower you can give them some weak liquir manure. About -as -good a thing as you can use is cow manure and spot. Get a thin bag and fill with fresh cow manure and soak in a tttb of watet, and the same/with t>he soot. About once a week apply 1 pint of. each to 1 gallon of water. ■ Always water fraaly beforehand with 'fresh water, or at least have the soil moist. If

you take a bucket or two of lime and throw it into a cask, fill up with 'water, and give occasional waterings, .' the plants 'will be muck improved. If you" sow your seeds in January or early in February^ and'the conditions are right and your strain good, you -will pick flowers in abundance from April to the end of October. ■ You must keep all the eaTly flowers off, as if they ere allowed to g^o to seed your 'plants will soon go off. They wil not set during May, June and July, but will start sstting in- August, so\if you wan^; your plants to continue blooming you must i-iek all flowers as they become fully developed. If you are picking bldoms to keep for decoration or to carry .any distance pick- during that early mornings, and select flowers-that are only half out. They will keeg longer, carry better, and improve in size.--.' ; ' ' - ■ —