Primrose wrote:If any sweat pea expert can answer heyjude's query about when best to pinch out the tops of sweet peas I'd also be interested
You might want to look at the separate thread about Broad Beans.
I had some Field Beans last Autumn that had grown very well. I was worried that they would go too far before Winter, become too leggy etc. I pinched out some of the taller ones - without exception, all of these then sucumbed to frost. The ones I hadn't touched survived the winter fine.
Hopefully others can explain the reason for this, and whether you should pinch out your sweet peas or not.
Colin