GROWING SWEET PEAS FOR EXHIBITION.

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 22, 25 October 1928, Page 3

GROWING SWEET PEAS FOR EXHIBITION.

(Supplied by F. Westbury, Hutt Valley

Horticultural Society.)

Iftratiy, prepare your trenches —the deeper the better, providing you have porous subsoil, or a sloping ground where you can make an outlet at the lower end to drain off surplus water. If this cannot be done, it is of no use going deeper than natural drainage allows, as it is unhealthy for the roots to reach stagnant water. Open up your trench at least eighteen inches wide^ throwing the top soil to one side. (Should the lower strata be gravel or stiff clay, it can be taken to some waste place). Then fill in with decayed hedge trimmings, old bones, animal manure, etc., mixed with ordinary soil, with sprinkling of lime at intervals until near the top, when the first soil removed can be replaced with a small quantity of bone dust mixed in and left for a while, stirring now and then with fork or cultivator. Prepare as much trench as you require, allowing for not less than eight feet for each variety of pea to be planted. SEEDS. Secure the best "that can be had and choose colours that are _ not too much alike, and if you intend to grow or exhibit a certain number of vases, plant at least two extra varieties to cover mishaps or variation in period of blooming. These should be planted in pots or boxes seven or eight inches deep, as they make very long roots even as seedlings. The boxes should be kept covered until peas start to break through; then they should have light.

When about three or four inches, high, transplant in the trenches prepared, say a foot apart. Prepare now to support them, my method being a strong post at each end of a row at least eight feet above the ground, on top of which strain a wire. Next I provide frames Bft x Bft and cover with sheep netting. Place the toes of these in the soil an inch or two and secure the top to the wire with a piece of binding wire. The better way is to have a few shorter rows, side by side instead of one long row and from five to six feet apart. Then a wire or two crossways attached to the posts or buildings will keep them from swaying in the wind. When the season is over, frames can be removed and stored away for the next year.

Watch your plants now for slugs, "birds, etc. Let them grow until they are nice bushy plants 12 to 18 inches high with plenty of laterals, then select two or three of the strongest, and tie these to .the netting with raffija, If three leads this will allow four inches; if two leads are selected you will have six inch spaces for each. This method is the best, but good blooms can be grown with three leads.

When the plants begin to throw flower buds, it is common for the first few sets of buds to fall off. This is not serious; the cause being the youth of the plants and the vigorous growth, being made. In a week or two they will begin to set, and you will get good blooms. Most of the salmon and orange varieies and some of the scarlets that are not marked "Sunproof" are apt to scorch and lose their colour in the bright sunshine, so it is best when planting to keep these togeher so that a few days before the Show they can be shaded with scrim or light calico, which should be removed again as soon as the blooms are picked and put on later if required, as the blooms are not, so robust and strong if shaded too much. Keep all' blooms picked that are not required as

they exhaust the plant. If you cannot dispose 'of them drop them ,on the ground.

In selecting blooms for the Show never use blooms that are too fully open, as the chances are, before the j judging takes pjace, they will begin to flag or drop their lower bud. Choose fours and fives where possible which are nicely spaced down the stem alternately. Avoid taking them where the buds are close in pairs or a distance apart down the stem. This, as a rule, is the result of overfeeding. A good, fresh, well placed three, is better than a bad four, in staging. Set them in your vases, all facing in the same. direction, the easiest method of doing this, is to cut some fine rushes, grass stems, or green pine needles, a little shorter than your vase. Select just enough so that, after putting in your peas, the vase will be full. In this you will have no trouble to keep them in position. Arrange your colours that they do not clash. In the event of your having anything outstanding, give it» a prominent position in centre, or left-hand corner for preference, as most judging begins at that point. GENERAL TREATMENT. After selecting the leads as directed, gradually cut away all other growth. Keep your leads tied up regularly and rub out all laterals below, then tie a joint or two, and should any lead get broken or even cracked with the wind, cut it off and take the next lateral as a lead in its' place. Keep your land on each side well cultivated and free from weeds. In the hot weather they would do best with a mulching and given water when necessary. If plants are not coming on too well, help them with liquid manure made up of soot, cow or fowl manure and dried blood, but never use this until you have well moistened the ground. . Mildew is the worst disease I know of in Sweet Peas, as it takes so many forms. The best remedy so fas as I know is the lime sulphur solution, and if you get the "white" or "summer" mildew, use the above as a preventative. As soon as the Shows are over, pull up the plants and burn them. Buy fresh seed for next season and do not grow too often in the same place without a change of soil. TIME OF SOWING SEED. If you intend to grow for November or early December Shows, plant in boxes (as described) at the end of March or early in April. If for a January or February Show, September will be early enough, in which case sow your seeds where required. Sow larger quantities of seed, say one for every three inches, when you can thin out or transplant as required without losing much time.

.Finally, anyone desiring to grow a nice lot of blooms without going by above instructions, can get very good results by double digging, i.e., after digging along once^ work backwards along the furrow and dig as deep as possible, adding a little bone dust, but keeping it below. Bepeat right through the plot and sow very thinly. I have seen good amateur peas grown this way, but where possible it is worth doing thoroughly.