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Produce => Non Edible Plants => Topic started by: jo9919 on April 03, 2008, 19:50:02
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I decided last year that I would grow Sweet Peas. I know that some people plant around October time ready for the next summer season, but I missed it, so tried planting at the start of the year.
I tried all ways, heated propagator, 'nicking' the seeds, soaking the seeds in water, growing on a window sill, cold greenhouse, but no joy.
I've tried again this year, still can't get them to germinate. My dad does his in a barely heated greenhouse, heated slightly by a paraffin heater. Every one of his comes up.
I've given up now. My dad has planted some more for me :-\
Does anyone else have problems with Sweet Peas?
Jo.
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I made the mistake of planting in February, and putting the seeds straight out in the mini-greenhouse. Most of them rotted, and I had to re-order. I'm not expecting problems with the replacements.
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So you reckon planting in a mini greenhouse in April would be fine?
I planted in my cold greenhouse in March, April and May last year. Why didn't they germinate?
Jo.
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I don't know. I planted mine in a mini-greenhouse this time last year and they were fine till the floods came; they didn't do much after that. This year i hoped to start them earlier, but never mind. It's going to be either early autumn or this time for me. Where did you get the seed from?
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Yes, this is what my dad asked me. I got my seed from Wilko's. My dad told me that this is what I get for buying cheap seeds :-X
Is he right?
Jo.
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I feel embarrassed now, I've managed to germinate 4 packets and my self saved from last year..in a windowsill propagator, in rootrainers, just pushed down to knuckle depth and left ..do you think the seeds were duff? :)
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I feel embarrassed now, I've managed to germinate 4 packets and my self saved from last year..in a windowsill propagator, in rootrainers, just pushed down to knuckle depth and left ..do you think the seeds were duff? :)
Oh, you're just bragging now ;D
I think I might try a slightly more expensive packet of seed. My dad didn't have any problems last year with his and he hasn't this year either. That's what you get for counting the pennies I suppose, false economy.
Jo.
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My son (4) planted 35 seeds a month ago and 34 have come through, I used to soak them, chit them etc etc give them to the kids and they will show you how to do it.
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My son (4) planted 35 seeds a month ago and 34 have come through, I used to soak them, chit them etc etc give them to the kids and they will show you how to do it.
I'll have to try that ;) The kids do seem to have more luck that I do >:(
Jo.
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I decided last year that I would grow Sweet Peas. I know that some people plant around October time ready for the next summer season, but I missed it, so tried planting at the start of the year.
I tried all ways, heated propagator, 'nicking' the seeds, soaking the seeds in water, growing on a window sill, cold greenhouse, but no joy.
I've tried again this year, still can't get them to germinate. My dad does his in a barely heated greenhouse, heated slightly by a paraffin heater. Every one of his comes up.
I've given up now. My dad has planted some more for me :-\
Does anyone else have problems with Sweet Peas?
Jo.
have you tryed chitting them before you start them in the green house
I have chitted loads of stuff this year and they have all took. I chitted a packet of sweetcorn and all 70 have worked. Chitted marrigolds, sweet peas morning glory loads of them have took
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all bar one (very old admittedly) packet of sweetpeas i sowed came up this yr, none last yr, yes the kids sowed them and i put them in dampt compost in old pudding pots v(u know the posh tall pots with a plastic lid that goes back on? washed them out and used those so kids could see roots and shoots, nice and deep) and also using toilet rolls as seed tubes and so far so good, tho they dont seem so happy now theyre outside im sure theyve stopped growing in a huff! all were put in the unheated conservatory so have had warmer than outside colder than inside conditions (if u get me?) the toilet roll ones had no cover and were some that someone had sent me that they self saved, the ones in the placcy pots were bought ones, deffo give them to the kids but ive been told they like moist cool deep root runs (?) so i guess thats where the loo rolls come in :D if that helps any? and it also means when i planted a few out (slugs have yet to notice!) that i just left them in the loo roll as aparently theyre not fond of being disturbed (as demonstrated by theyre huffyness i guess, but not dead, yet....) anyways hope some of the rambling helps, i germinated them fine in normal seed tray propogators last yr but the slugs ate the lot so wasnt impressed, am hoping to dodge the slimy fellas this yr... if the weather stays as "dry" as it has been compared to last yr fingers crossed! lou xx
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Please don't give up. Last year I planted 40 sweet peas, and only about 5 survive, mine were mostly devoured by mice. So this year they were fully protected from this pest. Some years I don't get any sweet peas at all, and it is maddening. I've discovered what I did wrong, most of the time I tend to push the seed quite deep into the pot. And I also tend to put just one seed in each pot. But this year I didn't push the seed as deep as I used to, plus I planted three seeds in each pot. I reckon if one fail at least I've two more chances, and I'm pleased to say mine have done rather well so far. I keep pinching them to prevent it becoming leggy. Amazingly they are all about the same height.
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I saved the seed from ours last year and sowed in two batches, one in mid January and one in late February, in rootrainers with their plastic cover. I had about 25% germinate and I always soak mine for 24 hours prior to sowing.
As soon as I can get these out I'll sow what's left of the packet of seed from last year - can't sow direct or in uncovered trays as we have a mouse problem (can't catch the ..... thing and can't seem to keep it out the greenhouse).
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Like Manicscousers I saved (but mixed with a packet of cheepies from Tesco in case they revert to one colour) mine from last season. I soaked them overnight and planted them in good seed compost, covered them, and kept them indoors till they germinated-about a week. 3 in a pot. This was Feb and they are now outside in the plastic greenhouse which is opened in the day. Nice plants, not leggy. Slow but sure. ;)
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Wilko's seed is usually OK, but you never know. Try some from a different source just in case.
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Got my Red arrow sweet pea from local garden centre and within 3 days about 60% of the seeds have germinated, they're just in a pot on a south facing windowsill. Having said that, everytime I've had sweet pea it's managed to strangle itself and die!
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We only spring sow but we have loads even with Wilko's cheap seeds....
Now Morning glory they can be a B****r to germinate...
::)
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Crikey for a change I seem to have done something right!! Didn't heat greenhouse over the winter, lost quite a few fuchsia and geranium cuttings BUT sweet peas.. I sowed some last November, got about 40 now potted on, 1 tray of 24 now about 2" high and 1 tray of 24 1" high. I thought I would sow at intervals this year Some are from new seeds and some from my saved seeds. Still had quite a few of saved seeds left so just scattered some direct to garden, who knows they might even germinate :) I would think I have 85% germination.
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I'm going to give them another go.
As I said, my dad has now planted some for me, but it just annoys me so much that I can't even get one to germinate. I thought that I would give up and let my dad do the hard bit for me, but it's like a battle of wills now. I WILL get some to germinate if it kills me!!!
Jo.
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What's the earliest they can go outside?
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They can take a while to germinate sometimes. Are they bought seed? Sometimes home collected are not so good. We had some home collected perenial sweet peas that had a very poor germination an dtook ages.
Another thought. Have mice taken them? or perhaps you kept them too wet and they rotted.
Good luck. ;)
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You're not alone. Ask me about my successes with everything else, particularly with brussel sprouts, tomatoes, peas, beans, zuchetti... but don't ask me about sweet peas because if you do I'll be forced to tell you that I have never had even one that wasn't dismally stringy, straggly and looked like it was on its last gasp. My neighbour has plants that grow into a thick bushy-looking head and are covered in blooms - but he can't grow tomatoes!
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Well Busby, you cant eat sweet peas..........carry on with the toms :D ;).......they are tasty :)
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the ones planted in the Fall rotted in the cold- got zero.
the ones planted indoors in loo rolls and in a big coffee can all germinated. for safety I hedged my bets and moved some to a coldframe and some out in the open ground which I cover at night, some open ground with the snowpeas and no cover at night and some are under an open mouthed plastic soda bottle in the garden. All are doing well even though we've had some -5 C / 22 F nights. Now how they'll do flowering may be a different thing altogether! And I'm sure they aren't bushy like some have described theirs are but at least they aren't dead (yet).
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Mine have not done anything yet so i picked some up in homebase theres about 8 plants in the pot for 99p. I am going to pot them on so i dont have to teese the roots out in the next 2 weeks when i plant them out.
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Somebody asked in an earlier post "what the earliest they can go out", that really depends on where you are in the country, since they're not frost hardy. I've now got mine in the coldframe, where they've been for the last week. another week and provided the forecast looks ok I'll put them out next weekend, but I'm in the central south so we're now quite close to the last frost date.
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Last year we ended up with only 1 plant, so I topped this up with some from B&Q. This year I planted ours on 15th feb direct into multipurpose compost in loos rolls. They have been kept in a coldframe. The germination has been pretty good. Not 100%, but good. These were saved seeds from last year's B&Q and a variety called 'sweet king blue' from thompson and morgan. They are probably only 2-3 inches high at the moment, but fingers crossed, they are looking healthy!
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I can totally sympathise. I have tried seed from several different companies and it always seems to be the luck of the draw. Last year I ended up with a few straggly specimens at planting out time and I planted the seeds I had left over direct in the soil. These did a lot better and I ended up with a good display even if it was a bit later than some other people's! I think the knack is to sow a lot more than you think you are going to need. After all, if they do all germinate you can always given them away!
KK
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l thought l would try sweet peas this year so l planted seven and only two came up so l think l will go buy some more and see what will happen
for all of you out there that feel they just want to give up with them just think how lovely they will look when they bloom
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Traditionaly I sow in spring, in 'root trainers' (long modules), soaking the seed first then placed in an unheated greenhouse. I had mixed sucess. some grew but many didnt and last year had to buy a few plants to make up numbers.
Then last autumn I had a go at autumn sowing. Instead of soaking them I just popped them in pots (4 per pot) watered them well and put them in a 'mini' greenhouse which was open most of the time. Whilst some failed more germinated than didn't and have overwintered well . However I still needed more plants so have sown more (today in fact -see date) Whilst I have returned to root trainers I have not chipped ot soaked the seed and have sown 3 or 4 seed per module. I reckon if only one seed per module grows then I will have a decent amount of plants.
I think sometimes if you soak the seed and then water well there is a tendency for the seed to rot off. I think that as long as you keep the compost well watered the seed will absorb enough water naturaly. Chipping might help speed things up but isnt essential.
Hope this helps.
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Last year I tried rubbing the seeds in a folded piece of fine sandpaper instead of chipping them, they germinated well but I didn't bother this year and they still germinated ok.
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I have had a good germination rate as well, very happy :D
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l planted my seeds at the end of march l put 7 in the pot and two have come up and a third has started l started them in the house l am hoping that the others will come though but if they do not them l will go and buy some more
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Is that a ratty I see Sims girl? Great pets. ;)
As for sweet peas, it seems to help if they go out to a cold frame or cold g house as soon as they germinate, they grow slower and make better plants.(less leggy)
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I soak mine overnight, starting off with warmish to hot water. I sowed some in February in the mini greenhouse by the house, have hardened them off this week and planted out today. Had about 80% germination.
I did the same treatment with some saved seeds, but forgot about them, so they sat in the water for a week :-[ by the time I got back to them there was mould growing over the top of the water. I thought they were rotted but sowed them anyway and as the weather had turned cold popped a propagator lid over the tray. After the sunshine this week, they are starting to show through :D
Have you tried pre-chitting them? Soak in water then place on damp paper in a plastic container, leave somewhere warm in the kitchen and check every few days, when the shoot appears transfer to pots.
Good luck
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I got a free packet off a magazine and just sowed them. First time I had every sowed anything.
Didnt soak them, just put them in peat pots. The whole packet germinated, but I lost a load when the winds took the plastic greenhouse.
One tip that was given to me was not to put them into deep. I made a measure with a ice cream stick... to make sure they were at the right depth.
So far I have 10 healthy bushy plants... just hope i can get them through the hardening off stage :D
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Well, I don't feel half so bad now. It does seem that Sweet Peas aren't all that easy to grow after all.
I sowed some more yesterday. I have taken advice from your posts and sowed 3 seeds to a pot.
I am wondering if the problem lies with me watering from the top and the seeds rotting, so I am trying watering from the bottom with the ones which I sowed yesterday. I will let you know how I get on.
Jo.
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Jo - once the seeds are in the compost - water that before you sow, I don't water at all until the shoots are through and usually by that time the compost has dried out a bit.
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I have never been able to get a sweet pea to germinate let alone grow and I have tried very hard.
Two or three weeks ago when I was sorting out my seed stash I found three or four part packets of sweet peas, I was going to chuck em out but instead I filled as seed tray with soil, chucked them all in and covered it, left in the bathroom. Would you believe the tray is full of shoots!!!
What comes next I wonder...well I got them to germinate LOL
XX Jeannine
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Sweet peas are very hardy. They should not be molly-coddled.
I have always sown mine in the second week of October. The pots are kept in the GH until the seedlings are approx half an inch high and then they are put into the coldframe. The pots are embedded in used growbag compost to give the roots a bit of extra protection. The plants have never been covered and have been exposed to cold and rain. The only time I might think of covering would be if prolonged heavy snow was forecast or if the temperature was below zero for several days continuously. My sweet peas were planted into the garden two weeks ago and are fine. The tops are pinched out to encourage branching.
I worked at Unwins about 20 years ago as the sweet pea breeder and hundreds of pots of different varieties/breeding lines were sown in October each year. They were not given any special pre sowing treatment and spent all winter in the cold frames before being planted into the trial ground.
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Sounds like the way to go. Did Unwin's give the plants any extra winter protection? I wouldn't be too worried about heavy snow due to the insulating effect, but several days of freezing overcast weather could reduce everything in a cold frame to blocks of ice quite easily.
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Robert
Their pots were always plunged into peat or something similar for added root insulation. If there was prolonged or very severe frost forecast they used to cover the coldframes with old carpet or something similar.
Mind you that was in the days when we used to have real winters.
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I'm glad you said that, Toadspawn, I was told I could leave my swet peas outside without protection last night as they had been outside for at least 10 days..went to look today, expecting the worst and they're fine, in fact, the cold's cleared the greenfly they got in the polytunnel ;D
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think this is the picture of them outside :)
no, file's too big :(
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I have 6 pots of autumn sown outside braving the cold, they are ok. The last sowing are in the cold greenhouse and about 1" tall in loo rolls. About 5 have failed to germinate :D
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Mine are in the car boot waiting for the rain to stop so I can plant them at the lottie.
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another frosty night and they're okay, mind you, only 0 degrees ;D
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Right I give in: they're going in the front garden.
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mine are about 3-4" high right now, I planted them out in tubs about 10 days ago. Read here about pinching out, when do I do that? I have just let them grow when I last grew them about 15 years ago! I never knew about pinching out. Am I to pinch out the main growing tip? Thanks
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Oh my gawd! I hope the answer to your question is yes jesssads - I've just taken the tips off my ones... :o :o :o C'mon - tell us - do we take the tips off???
twinkletoes
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if you want nice, bushy plants, you pinch them out :)
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We do...
;D
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Over a week now since I resowed but no sign yet.
Still keeping my fingers crossed :)
Jo.
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Oh dear ! Sweet peas can be a devil but I mostly do alright by planting in October (in black polythene tubes) in the greenhouse and then putting them in the cold frame over winter. I don't get full germination but about 60%. Then I set a few more in Feb or March just as back up and have now put them in the cold frame and will plant out in May when the weather looks fine enough ( for me to be outside for long).
I used to buy the black polythene tubes from my sweet pea seed supplier but she has retired. Anyone know where I can them from.
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My second planting was beginning to germinate a couple of days ago.
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Jo9919, if you want near-perfect germination sow on a damp kitchen towel covered with a bit of clingfilm and keep in normal room temperatures. You should see roots within 3-5 days, then pot up s normal (being careful not to damage the root) and you should have a plant visible about 3 days later.
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ive chucked more into the garden yesterday with a sheet of glas leant over them, theyre not deaded yet, will remove the glass this weekend i think, but, pinching out, how tall should they be when i behaed them? minimum? and is it a continuos job? sorry 2 ask so many qs i adore sweet peas and want 2 b overrun not looking at a scraggly green thing n praying it flowers! many thanx! lou xx
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Ok - pinching out ??? What's that? and how do you do it?? Mine are about 4" tall now, so should I be doing this pinching lark now? :)
Ps - can you tell I normally buy plug plants rofl
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Pinching out is taking out the growing tip. Do it after two or three pairs of true leaves are showing, and you'll get more shoots. You can repeat this on the new shoots, but you will slow down flowering. You judge by the number of pairs of leaves, not height.
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Thanks for that Rosa, my Red Arrow have 3 pairs of true leaves on now, do I pull them or cut them?
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If you want to grow cordons you will get a good strong shoot after you pinch the top out. The first leader very often goes blind anyway.Worth the challenge whatever way you grow em
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Yes, this is what my dad asked me. I got my seed from Wilko's. My dad told me that this is what I get for buying cheap seeds :-X
Is he right?
Jo.
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I bought my sweet pea seeds from wilko,s and had no problems with mine they all germinated,
in my mini unheated greenhouse
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Thanks for that Rosa, my Red Arrow have 3 pairs of true leaves on now, do I pull them or cut them?
I usually kind of pinch them out between thumbnail and forefingernail.
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Thanks Grawc, I'll have a go at that tomorrow. I wonder if I should be doing that with my toms?
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brilliantr thankyou rosa, will let them get used to being where they are and then in a few days time nip them, dont know why im fussing them so much tho as we have some locally that grow in the oddest places every year in the local neighbourhood, absolutlely no care whatsoever and every year pop there they are, yet can i get mine past the slugs?? will deffo pinch out tho as i dont mind waiting for flowers as long as i get some :) many thanx again everyone! lou xx (ps shirltone ill be plantig the ones you gave me this week, and hopefully putting the wigwam in the kids plot on the lotty for some others to start up... wish me luck!) xx