Climbing annuals and their growth habits

13 years ago

Hello! Up to now, I've done little with annuals beyond a flat of petunias in the spring. This spring I thought to try a few vines along my fence line to fill in the holes as the ramblers get going. Grabbed a couple see packets on sale because they caught my eye. Wanted to check them out though before they go in the ground.

Cardinal Climber

Black Eyed Susan Vine

Starry Night Sweet Pea

Scarlet Runner Bean

Anything that I should know about them and they're characteristics. I also don't want anything that will drop seed and come up next year. Thanks!

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Comments (7)

izharhaq
13 years ago
Cardinal Climber & Scarlet Runner bean are comparatively faster and will cover any thing around them in no time.

Scarlet Runner bean is a heavy vine and require a strong trellis...(more water=more foliage=less blooms)... the pods forming after blooms are best in flavor when plucked young (6"-7")

Cardinal Climber becomes invasive in warmer zones but is pretty anyhow attracting hawk moths, humming birds and off-course butterflies.

Both above are not fussy with soil requirements but it should be a well drained one.. full sun is required..

Starry Night Sweet peas are a wonderful mix and very fragrant. They are less vigorous then above two climbers, so plant them away from them, sow them directly as they tend to dislike being transplanted. Pinch the plants when they are about 5" tall and do so for 3-4 time more again.. it does delay the first bloom appearance but the bushier plants will produce abundant blooms and the you can feel the aroma in the air, each color has different fragrance. Remove the spent blooms on daily basis as they are prolific seed producers and the seed pods drain the energy needed for new blooms.. they require fertile and well drained soil and full sun...
flora_uk
13 years ago
Good info but I'd just add to the statement about sweet peas 'they tend to dislike being transplanted'. In my climate I start sweet peas indoors in January and plant out in March/April so they get a long enough growing season. They seem quite happy with this and it is standard practice in the UK. They do have deep roots so I start them in toilet paper rolls. You can get special rootrainers for them but I go for the cheap option. The point about picking off the pods is very importnat and the same applies to runner beans. If you don't pick them they stop flowering. Runners like deep, rich, moist soil.
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izharhaq
13 years ago
flora_uk, its my personal experience that when ever I transplanted them (sweet peas) they take bit longer time to establish themselves, I never encountered any mortality but the direct sown ones at the same time are larger and bloom earlier, heat can be a cause as we use to sow them in October when the temps are between 85-95 F...
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
13 years ago
Here in California sweet peas are also best planted in October to get the most bloom in the spring. They are better planted directly in the garden, but must be baited for slugs when planted or they will be eaten as fast as they germinate. Al
mytime
13 years ago
Whether or not you start sweet peas indoors depends on your climate and growing season. Although we can start them outdoors, if you have a cool start to summer it can take forever to get germination and therefore bloom. I don't find they have any problem being transplanted (I start them in 20 oz. coffee cups.).
Julie717
12 years ago
Hi, I'm sure you've done all your vine planting for this year, but I would suggest trying purple hyacinth bean vine next year. It will reseed, but not so much that it becomes a weed like morning glories.

It has purple flowers that grow on spikes that stick out of the plant, and purple beans later on that are also pretty. The leaves are large, dark green with purple veins and are not prone to foliage diseases and fungi like some flowering vines. It also has a really nice fragrance and the hummingbirds like it.
steelskies
12 years ago
Tge cardinal climber is a beautiful vine, the leaves are rather lacey and delicate, and the flowers as well. They have reseeded for me last year, but I don't see any coming up this year so far. They are so nice I hope they DO reseed.

Climbing annuals and their growth habits

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izharhaq

flora_uk

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