Sweet pea question.

Jacquimcmahon

evening everyone. This has been my first year of growing sweet peas and now I need some advice.

they are now really tall and mainly flowering very high up each plant. Would it harm or benefit them if I nipped out the tops? 

Some of the plants have gone crispy, I am presuming because of the dry hot wind we have had over the last couple of weeks, should I trim them back or just pull them out?

All advice greatly received.

Jacquimcmahon

Just noticed this morning that one of the crispy ones now seems to be being atacked by greenfly, however there is a nice colony of baby ladybugs munching on them so regardless of anything I’ll leave them until the ladybirds grow up or exhaust the food supply.

fidgetbones

Nipping out the tops should encourage more flowering lower down and more side shoots.  Keep watering and feeding. Growers for show take off all the tendrils and use clips so they unclip them and lay them along and then back up when they get too big. Too much of a faff for me , I use a cane tent structure crossed in the meddle, so I divert a few shoots along the horizontal cane if I can.

Fairygirl

Yes - loads of water and food for them, Jacqui. I think your conditions might be quite difficult for them [I'm assuming they're in pots]  so keep them in a bit more shade if you can to prevent them drying out. 
The ususal advice is full sun, but I find they thrive better with some shade during the hottest part of the day, even here, when we don't get the amount of heat that many people get.

Brexiteer

Keep picking them and don't let anyone seed pods to form. They look and smell lovely in a small container 

purplerallim

I have grown sweet peas for the first time  (old fashioned and horizon) and I have a few crispy ones too. Didn't realise nipping the tops would make them bush. I have mine in tubs but have allowed some to grow down to the floor so have flowers from top to bottom and am picking a posy nearly every day 😁

Nanny Beach

I have tried (and failed) in the past to grow sweet peas in pots, they are VERY hungry and thirsty plants,yes, remove seed pods, I learnt last year also remove any tendrils that arent actually needed to support the plant, and bearing in mind 3 months of incredible hot dry weather I had the best sweet peas I have ever grown,I put a very large amount of manure on the ground before planting.  If you have some crispy ones they havent had enough water.  I dont pinch the tops out or "stop" the plants at all.

Nanny Beach

Yes, fairy I also find they do better in part shade, same as the eating peas

purplerallim

Mine had to manage for a week last week when we were away, so I don't think they did too badly. Yes manure was put into the tubs with the compost , and now six weeks later they have had some long term feed added too.

Jacquimcmahon

Thanks everyone I think I’ll be moving ports around this weekend anyway as they have announced another week of above 30 and still no sign of any rain (that’s 6 full weeks with no more than a mild drizzle). Oh how I can actually say I would love some Edinburgh mist about now.

i also think perhaps I need to feed them better I was not aware that they were so needy in that department.