I have a couple of seed packets I'm trying to decide how/where to plant.

1. The sweet pea packet says they are five feet, annual; I know that
means none next year unless I plant more seeds. Will they cling to a
brick wall? Will they spiral climb like pole beans? I was thinking of
putting them around my ugly telephone poles, but if they need strings, I
don't know if that will go over with the phone company. Not that I care
a whole lot. Otherwise I'm going to have to rig up a trellis or some
kind of strings for them to climb on. If I have to put them on the east
side of the house which has the most room, will they bloom with only
half a day of sun?

2. The Forget Me Not packet has the usual, says it's a bienniel. Does
that mean it takes until the second year to flower? What happens after
that? Does it self seed or come back from the roots every year
thereafter if all goes well? Also do they have to have sun all day or
could I put them on the east side of the house?

I don't have a whole lot of room for plants that require full sun right
now unless I dig up part of the front yard for a cottage garden, but it
won't be this year.

Thanks for any advice.

"I Love Lucy" <nomore [at] monkey.biz> wrote in message
news:zjNag.1620$921.400 [at] newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> I have a couple of seed packets I'm trying to decide how/where to plant.
>
> 1. The sweet pea packet says they are five feet, annual; I know that
> means none next year unless I plant more seeds. Will they cling to a
> brick wall? Will they spiral climb like pole beans? I was thinking of
> putting them around my ugly telephone poles, but if they need strings, I
> don't know if that will go over with the phone company. Not that I care
> a whole lot. Otherwise I'm going to have to rig up a trellis or some
> kind of strings for them to climb on. If I have to put them on the east
> side of the house which has the most room, will they bloom with only
> half a day of sun?
>
> 2. The Forget Me Not packet has the usual, says it's a bienniel. Does
> that mean it takes until the second year to flower? What happens after
> that? Does it self seed or come back from the roots every year
> thereafter if all goes well? Also do they have to have sun all day or
> could I put them on the east side of the house?
>
> I don't have a whole lot of room for plants that require full sun right
> now unless I dig up part of the front yard for a cottage garden, but it
> won't be this year.
>
> Thanks for any advice.
>

You may already be aware but there are perennial sweet peas. If you like
the effect of the annuals, you want to consider planting some of these next
year. Not as much work as replanting every year.

"LAH" <someone [at] somewhere.net> wrote in message
news:d9_ag.1404$5J6.951 [at] newsread1.mlpsca01.us.to.verio.net...
>
> "I Love Lucy" <nomore [at] monkey.biz> wrote in message
> news:zjNag.1620$921.400 [at] newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>> I have a couple of seed packets I'm trying to decide how/where to
>> plant.
>>
>> 1. The sweet pea packet says they are five feet, annual; I know that
>> means none next year unless I plant more seeds. Will they cling to a
>> brick wall? Will they spiral climb like pole beans? I was thinking
>> of
>> putting them around my ugly telephone poles, but if they need
>> strings, I
>> don't know if that will go over with the phone company. Not that I
>> care
>> a whole lot. Otherwise I'm going to have to rig up a trellis or some
>> kind of strings for them to climb on. If I have to put them on the
>> east
>> side of the house which has the most room, will they bloom with only
>> half a day of sun?
>>
>> 2. The Forget Me Not packet has the usual, says it's a bienniel.
>> Does
>> that mean it takes until the second year to flower? What happens
>> after
>> that? Does it self seed or come back from the roots every year
>> thereafter if all goes well? Also do they have to have sun all day
>> or
>> could I put them on the east side of the house?
>>
>> I don't have a whole lot of room for plants that require full sun
>> right
>> now unless I dig up part of the front yard for a cottage garden, but
>> it
>> won't be this year.
>>
>> Thanks for any advice.
>>
>
> You may already be aware but there are perennial sweet peas. If you
> like
> the effect of the annuals, you want to consider planting some of these
> next
> year. Not as much work as replanting every year.

Thanks, and no, I didn't know there was a perenniel variety. Just
trying to put everything together, limited room, wanted to have some
sweet peas for years, want to put in some tomato plants and try to root
about 12 old rose cuttings. They won't end up all in the same place but
may have to cohabitate for awhile.

I did try to read up a little on the net about both the plants I was
inquiring about. Nothing like just doing it and finding out.
>
>

"I Love Lucy" <nomore [at] monkey.biz> wrote in message
news:zjNag.1620$921.400 [at] newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...
If I have to put them on the east
> side of the house which has the most room, will they bloom with only half
> a day of sun?

Sweet peas do best with FULL sun for most of the day. I've planted them in
partial shade and got leggy pitiful plants with sparse blooms. Make sure you
pick them as they bloom, once they start setting seed pods they quit
blooming.
>
> 2. The Forget Me Not packet has the usual, says it's a bienniel. Does
> that mean it takes until the second year to flower?

I tossed a pinch of Forget Me Not seeds in each of my larger
containers.....(I grow everything on my small balcony -5x7ft- and all are in
containers; trees, shrubs, climatis, roses, fuschias and the usual
annuals)......and a few bloomed the first year and I have had enough
reappear every year for the past 5 years that it's a yearly ritual to thin
them ruthlessly and they are still thriving. I get both pink and blue all
from the same "blue" packet. Must be the soil ph I assume. They do make a
lovely filler though. I have several roses in containers and the FMN make a
nice addition to fill in empty spaces. I personally do not practice
moderation in gardening. As long as they get fed and watered everything
grows in abundence. The FMN also look pretty in boquets and last quite well.
> I don't have a whole lot of room for plants that require full sun right
> now

There are lots of plants that flower in the shade and those that also have
colorful foliage. Go to the library or do a Google on shade gardening.
You'll be amazed! Good luck!

"Val" <ya-shur [at] yabetcha.com> wrote in message
news:1147965998.418596 [at] bubbleator.drizzle.com...
>
> "I Love Lucy" <nomore [at] monkey.biz> wrote in message
> news:zjNag.1620$921.400 [at] newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> If I have to put them on the east
>> side of the house which has the most room, will they bloom with only
>> half a day of sun?
>
> Sweet peas do best with FULL sun for most of the day. I've planted
> them in partial shade and got leggy pitiful plants with sparse blooms.
> Make sure you pick them as they bloom, once they start setting seed
> pods they quit blooming.

That's what I figured and that's why the telephone poles seem the best
option, most of my yard is shaded part of the day because I have too
many trees that I won't part with. My house faces south, so that would
be good but between my aging birch clump (lets some sun through in am)
and my neighbor's crabapple, everything is partly shaded except a couple
spots right in the center where it would interfere with mowing and I
have enough problem getting that done as it is.

>>
>> 2. The Forget Me Not packet has the usual, says it's a bienniel.
>> Does that mean it takes until the second year to flower?
>
> I tossed a pinch of Forget Me Not seeds in each of my larger
> containers.....(I grow everything on my small balcony -5x7ft- and all
> are in containers; trees, shrubs, climatis, roses, fuschias and the
> usual annuals)......and a few bloomed the first year and I have had
> enough reappear every year for the past 5 years that it's a yearly
> ritual to thin them ruthlessly and they are still thriving. I get both
> pink and blue all from the same "blue" packet. Must be the soil ph I
> assume. They do make a lovely filler though. I have several roses in
> containers and the FMN make a nice addition to fill in empty spaces. I
> personally do not practice moderation in gardening. As long as they
> get fed and watered everything grows in abundence. The FMN also look
> pretty in boquets and last quite well.
>> I don't have a whole lot of room for plants that require full sun
>> right now
>
> There are lots of plants that flower in the shade and those that also
> have colorful foliage. Go to the library or do a Google on shade
> gardening. You'll be amazed! Good luck!

I am finding a lot of them on commercial sites, having trouble deciding
what will go well with what. I think FMN does grow in partial shady
areas, probably won't bloom as profusely as full sun. I plan to start
them in containers this spring and set them in the ground somewhere in
the fall, but I want lots of clumps of them. I think they would look
nice with baby's breath, am trying some this year for the first time,
think they might self seed but don't know yet. I don't want to get
locked into too much permanent container gardening. For one thing, when
they are full of damp soil, they are too heavy to lug around, and I live
in a regular house on an average but narrow lot.

I have a long back terrace that I long to get tiers going, but I don't
want just any old railroad ties, etc. That will have to wait until next
year. It would get plenty of sun.

The biggest problem I have alway had with yard gardening is finding the
right place and combination of plants for that area. I would rather not
use too many hostas as everybody has them and I like to be different.

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it.
>
>

Your location is going to make a difference on which flowers can grow
there....
I'm in the southern portion of the san joaquin calley in CA and my sweet
peas are already dried up and gone. They simply can't tolerate heat.

Sweet peas do need something to grow up (unless you buy the bush seeds)...
they have tendrils (like peas) that wrap around for support. mine grow up
chain link fencing but do need help getting started. I have to tie 'em up
and from there, they're good to go.



There are many types of forget me nots. Most are annuals (completing their
life cycle in one year) Biennial means takes two seasons to complete the
life cycle.
Annuals can be come back the next year if the seed pods are allowed to burst
open.... I have a lot of volunteer flowers that come back this way ...it's
the seeds that will allow these type of flowers to come back..

There are flowers that thrive in the shade- impatiens. hydrangeas,
rudbeckia, nicotiana, violas, alyssum nemophila baby blue eyes, foxglove
(perennial) are all partial sun. With a little looking, you'll be able to
have some great flowers without full sun.
burpee.com has a garden wizard that can help.... you can order from here
also if you wish.

Telephone pole- have you considered a vine? There are many that will grow
well, don't need help climbing and don't need a lot of care. There are
annual or perrenial vines.
http://www.smgrowers.com/info/vinelist.asp

happy gardening
"I Love Lucy" <nomore [at] monkey.biz> wrote in message
news:zjNag.1620$921.400 [at] newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>I have a couple of seed packets I'm trying to decide how/where to plant.
>
> 1. The sweet pea packet says they are five feet, annual; I know that
> means none next year unless I plant more seeds. Will they cling to a
> brick wall? Will they spiral climb like pole beans? I was thinking of
> putting them around my ugly telephone poles, but if they need strings, I
> don't know if that will go over with the phone company. Not that I care a
> whole lot. Otherwise I'm going to have to rig up a trellis or some kind
> of strings for them to climb on. If I have to put them on the east side
> of the house which has the most room, will they bloom with only half a day
> of sun?
>
> 2. The Forget Me Not packet has the usual, says it's a bienniel. Does
> that mean it takes until the second year to flower? What happens after
> that? Does it self seed or come back from the roots every year thereafter
> if all goes well? Also do they have to have sun all day or could I put
> them on the east side of the house?
>
> I don't have a whole lot of room for plants that require full sun right
> now unless I dig up part of the front yard for a cottage garden, but it
> won't be this year.
>
> Thanks for any advice.
>

"Nicole" <me [at] hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:%OMcg.3973$9W5.1046 [at] tornado.socal.rr.com...
> Your location is going to make a difference on which flowers can grow
> there....
> I'm in the southern portion of the san joaquin calley in CA and my
> sweet peas are already dried up and gone. They simply can't tolerate
> heat.
>
> Sweet peas do need something to grow up (unless you buy the bush
> seeds)... they have tendrils (like peas) that wrap around for support.
> mine grow up chain link fencing but do need help getting started. I
> have to tie 'em up and from there, they're good to go.

Sorry, I almost missed your response the post is old now. I just got
done planting them in front of my stoops bounding the front steps facing
south. They may not like the hot brick, and I did a sloppy job of it,
but they're in, I can find something to climb on if they don't like the
brick, and I can learn from that.
>
>
>
> There are many types of forget me nots. Most are annuals (completing
> their life cycle in one year) Biennial means takes two seasons to
> complete the life cycle.
> Annuals can be come back the next year if the seed pods are allowed to
> burst open.... I have a lot of volunteer flowers that come back this
> way ...it's the seeds that will allow these type of flowers to come
> back..
>
> There are flowers that thrive in the shade- impatiens. hydrangeas,
> rudbeckia, nicotiana, violas, alyssum nemophila baby blue eyes,
> foxglove (perennial) are all partial sun. With a little looking,
> you'll be able to have some great flowers without full sun.
> burpee.com has a garden wizard that can help.... you can order from
> here also if you wish.

I found a shade mix at americanmeadows.com, will try that, and I love
violas. Forgot about those. First before we get too much planted
there, I'm going to protect the few plants that are there and my son is
going to spray as there are two types of nasty ivy that will ruin the
spot and I'll be forever pulling and cutting the stuff, may have to even
if we spray, but it should cut down some of the work.

I planted some alyssum around the edges of a plastic planter window box
and the forget-me-nots in the center. The alyssum is going to overpower
it, so I will have to get what's started into pots. I have another
fresh pack of seeds and think I can fall sow.
>
> Telephone pole- have you considered a vine? There are many that will
> grow well, don't need help climbing and don't need a lot of care.
> There are annual or perrenial vines.
> http://www.smgrowers.com/info/vinelist.asp

I tried a clematic one year, but to do it right, you have to clear out
the grass a ways out and then mulch and keep it watered. That is going
to have to wait as I've got too much going now. Thanks for the link and
your response. I will check out the link.

>
> happy gardening
> "I Love Lucy" <nomore [at] monkey.biz> wrote in message
> news:zjNag.1620$921.400 [at] newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>>I have a couple of seed packets I'm trying to decide how/where to
>>plant.
>>
>> 1. The sweet pea packet says they are five feet, annual; I know that
>> means none next year unless I plant more seeds. Will they cling to a
>> brick wall? Will they spiral climb like pole beans? I was thinking
>> of putting them around my ugly telephone poles, but if they need
>> strings, I don't know if that will go over with the phone company.
>> Not that I care a whole lot. Otherwise I'm going to have to rig up a
>> trellis or some kind of strings for them to climb on. If I have to
>> put them on the east side of the house which has the most room, will
>> they bloom with only half a day of sun?
>>
>> 2. The Forget Me Not packet has the usual, says it's a bienniel.
>> Does that mean it takes until the second year to flower? What
>> happens after that? Does it self seed or come back from the roots
>> every year thereafter if all goes well? Also do they have to have
>> sun all day or could I put them on the east side of the house?
>>
>> I don't have a whole lot of room for plants that require full sun
>> right now unless I dig up part of the front yard for a cottage
>> garden, but it won't be this year.
>>
>> Thanks for any advice.
>>
>
>