The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-20
SWEET PEA TROUBLE

The Age Herald is now receiving a
flood of complaints concerning the
behavior of sweet peas Ladies claim
that their vines are looking well but
maturing very few blooms, and that
the most of them shed or fall off be-
fore development There is an in
sistent inquiry as to the cause of
this, and if there is a remedy. The
purpose of this article is to answer
a number of individual inquiries re-
ceived in the past week, and to in
sure those in trouble that there is
proba bly, some relief.
1t is quite frequently the ease with
sweet peas that they Will shed their
first bloom, and the reason they do
it, is generally from oVerfertlllzlng.
People will persist in putting lot
of manure, or other highly concen-
trated fertilizers under sweet peas,
which, as a matter of fact, is bad
practice 1t should be understood
that the sweet pea is legumlnous
plant, such for example as COW peas,
beans, clovers Netches and peanuts,
and are able, through the work of
bacteria on their roots to assimilate
the free nitrogen of the air and are
thus in a measure independent OF any
heterogeneous fertilizer, and any sur
plus of such material is often a real
Getriment.
The best fertilizer for sweet peas is
any mixture that contains reason
able amount of phosphoric acid and
potash Small quantities of nitro
Senous fertilizer may be used to ad-
vantage in starting the plants or,
but any excess of ammonia or nitro
gen causes the plants to shed their
first flower. In most cases, however,
the plants overcome this, and after
the first shedding takes place subse-
quent crops will come on normally
and in good shape. The only remedy
for this condition is a thorough
working of the plants, which should
he kept up every few days. because
when plants are thoroughly worked,
enabling them to produce larger
root system, they can consume more
ammonia and nitrogen without IN
jury. When plants are affected as
indicated above, it is really best to
pui. off the first flowers that APP
pear: this will relieve the burden that
the root is carrying and the subSe-
quent crop will be better.
The main difficulty in growing
sweet peas is that there is so much
misinformation in print regarding the
culture of this flower, that people
become confused as to what they
really should do. 1t is necessary, of
course, to make sufficient prepara-
tions for the growth of sweet peas
and create those living conditions
that makes for the best development,
but the application of too much ma
nure, or fertilizer of any KIND ana
particularly highly stimulating ele-
ments, such as nitrogen and ammonia,
is detrimental and should be avoided
The Age-Herald has had previous ar
ticles on this subject, and If our
readers would avail themselves of the
opportunity offered by this paper Tor
information, they would have less
complaint.
There are other factors that have
something to do with failure of sweet
peas and the trouble is generally the
little green bug, or louise, that may
infest the vine, and will sometimes
ruin sweet peas before they are ever
noticed, so when any trouble pro-
sents itself, the first thing to do 10 to
examine the vines closely and see II
any insects are present. This green
aphis, or louise, that fnfects sweet
peas is easily destroyed. a NUMBER
Of remedies being available busting
the vines with tobacco dust is ei-
fective. and there is remedy known
as 40 Dust" that will do tho work.
A LIQUID spray of one gallon OF soap
suds to which is added teaspoon1uI
of nicotine sulphate is particularly
good. The main factor, after all, 10
TO watch your plants and take care OF
them.