Download Lesley Heslop`s summary of the talk

CLATFORD VALLEY GARDENING CLUB
What a wonderful start to our New Year at Garden Club.
Jim McDonald from Broughton came to talk to us about the
delights of growing sweet peas.
Jim has been growing for a mere 50 years and is a life member
of The National Sweet Pea Society. He has also been
chairman of the sweet pea trials at Wisley and now heads a
team at Sparsholt and Askham Bryan.
Jim grows on a large scale, but for those of us who don’t, here
are some tips.
PLANTING
To grow in rings, prepare the ground by adding manure, Fish,
Blood and Bone and chicken pellets, but leave for about 3
weeks before planting. A sunny spot is a must, and sweet peas
love water. To grow cordons, dig a trench and place canes 7
inches apart at a slight angle and prepare the ground in the
same way.
GERMINATION
Jim prefers to germinate seed on damp kitchen roll but not too
wet. Place them in an airing cupboard and when roots appear,
plant them into compost bags, root trainers or pots.
Don’t plant too deeply.
LDS plastics sell bags which are ideal for planting about 8
seeds at a time. He also recommended Jack’s Magic compost
from Mole Valley and uses 4 parts compost to 1 part Perlite.
GROWING ON
Once two pairs of leaves have appeared, pinch out the tops to
encourage the flowering side shoots to grow. They can be
grown in a cold frame but they don’t like hard frost.
PLANTING OUT
Make a circle of about 12 canes, 2 feet 6 inches in diameter
and 6 feet tall but keep the top open by using a plant support
ring. This allows the air to flow through. Plant out during the
last week in March or 1st week in April. Take off any weak side
shoots to allow stronger ones to grow. Cutting off the tendrils
helps to make the plant stronger but it will need supporting with
string or by tying.
FEEDING AND PEST CONTROL
Spray every 3 weeks for greenfly but do so late at night.
Epsom Salts reduce magnesium deficiency and feed with
Tomorite and Miracle Gro’ on alternate weeks. They provide
potash and nitrogen.
TRAINING
Cutting the flowers will stop them going to seed. You can use a
pea and bean net, but tuck the tendrils and leaves in as they
grow, so that the flowers are all on the outside.
SHOWING AND SOWING
Sow from October to January in succession to prolong the
flowering season. Always cut in the morning and not in hot sun.
JIM’S TOP SIX
Jim mentioned many different varieties including stripes,
flakes, picotee and bi-coloured and he had many varieties for
sale.
His personal favourites were Karen Louise (mauve), White
Supreme, Mrs Bernard Jones ( rose pink and white),
Sir Jimmy Shand (white and lavender),
Gwendoline (magenta pink) and Windsor, which is a deep
maroon.
Well there really is no excuse for not entering our Show this
year and producing nothing less than ‘SHOW STOPPERS’.
Go on, give it a go!
Our next club meeting will be on Wednesday 24th February
when Steve Austin will be talking about ‘Behind the Scenes
at Hilliers.’
On March 23rd, Mike Read will be talking about ‘Flowers and
Birds of the Vercors (France)’
Please come and join us. We would love to see you.