CHAPTER XI 



Autumn-Sown Sweet Peas Sweet Peas from Cuttings- 

 Growing Sweet Peas in Pots 



Autumn-Sown Sweet Peas. I believe that comparatively 

 few Sweet Pea growers sow their seeds in the autumn, but while it 

 is a plan that one cannot recommend for general practice, there 

 is little doubt that in some gardens it is the best thing to do. 

 Gardens in the country which have a light soil through which 

 moisture passes away readily in the winter are those in which 

 autumn-sown Sweet Peas are likely to thrive best. There is little or 

 no danger of their dying off during the inclement weather of the 

 winter months, and they start into growth in the spring already well 

 rooted, and with a much better opportunity for giving a good account 

 of themselves in a hot, dry soil, than spring-sown seeds. For, of 

 course, soil which keeps fairly dry during the wet weather that 



FIG. 8. SOWING OUTDOORS IN AUTUMN AND PROTECTING 



N, hedge, board fence, or wall shelter on north. O, south border with 

 drills at right angles to shelter : a?, rows (dotted lines) 4 feet apart- 

 P, row parallel with hedge (N) and 4 feet from it : y, drill 3 inches 

 deep ; z, seeds placed in 2 inches distance apart in alternate order ; #, 

 2-inch covering of fine soil ; b, 1 inch thickness of sifted coal ashes on 

 fine soil ; c, ashes surface ; d, soil, thus raised, not hollowed. 



Q, protecting : e, spruce, yew, or other evergreen tree, preferably conifer 

 branches, placed on north side of row ; /, Sweet Pea plants ; g, 

 mulching of cocoanut fibre refuse, 2 inches thick, but not on ashes or 

 in contact with stems of Sweet Pea plants. Protecting the earth 

 ridge : h, bank formed on north side of row ; i, place from where soil 

 is drawn ; j, row of plants ; k, mulching of short manure or partially 

 rotted leaves. 



R, earthing up Sweet Peas : I, ridges ; m, furrows; 1 1, rows of plants. 



S, border clumps : n, tall varieties protected by Spruce branches ; o, dwarf 

 or bush varieties ditto ; p, tall variety protected by earth ridge ; q, 

 dwarf or bush variety ditto ; r, south or sunny side open. 



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