Hello, I have perennial sweet peas which have finished flowering and I usua : Grows on You

Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom

Hello, I have perennial sweet peas which have finished flowering and I usually cut them back to ground level around this time. I pick the seed pods off first though but have noticed that some of them are still flat and dont look as though the seeds have formed yet. I was wondering how much longer I will have to leave them before the seeds are fully developed as I am itching to cut them back because of they bedraggled look!

On plant Lathyrus

3 Oct, 2012

Answers

Bulbaholic

If they have not begun to fatten up by now, Strude, then they are unlikely to. Because of the summer we have had the flowers have not been pollinated by insects and the seed is not fertile.

3 Oct, 2012

Scrumpygraham

Sweet peas are self pollinating and do not need insects to do the job for them. Pollination occurs before the flowers have opened.

4 Oct, 2012

Seaburngirl

cross pollination certainly does happen in peas but i agree that the pods will probably not ripen now.
so cut them cut down if that is what you are itching to do.

4 Oct, 2012

Strude

Hello, Thank you so much for the replies, there were plenty of bees on them all through the summer and its only some of the seed pods that are still flat but I'll go ahead and cut them back now as advised.

4 Oct, 2012

Scrumpygraham

Could you give a reference to your statement about cross pollination please and I'll pass it on to the breeders I know
for their perusal.
Thanks
Graham.

ps, here's a link as to how to do hand pollinate which is what the experts do

http://daughterofthesoil.blogspot.co.uk/2006/08/how-to-hand-pollinate-sweet-peas.html

4 Oct, 2012

How do I say thanks?

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