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What's up with my sweet peas?!

StocksuStocksu Posts: 4
in The potting shed
Hi everyone, 

Can you tell me what's up with my sweet peas please?  I've attached a photo which shows that their leaves are turning white, from the tip downwards.  Is this some kind of nutrient deficiency?  I think I left them in their root trainers too long (didn't realise I could pot them on - first-timer) but I'm wondering if it could also be a virus of some sort.  All the plants have them even though a couple also have buds...  Can I do anything to fix them?  I've showered them with love so I'll be sad if they die  :'(

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I don't think it's any disease or virus.
    The white bits are where part of the leaf has died for some reason.
    Were they somewhere sheltered then put in full sun? - could be sun scorch on young foliage.
    Or possibly the leaves were nipped by a late frost.
    It looks like you have them in decent compost and if the new growth looks good (which it seems to) I don't think you have any concerns.
    If you added extra fertilizer when planting it is possible that it was too strong, but that would normally affect the leaves in a different way.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    They should be outside, either in the ground, or in large pots, in rich compost and being kept well watered.
    The leaves look as though they have been exposed to cold.
    As many people are expecting a sharp frost this weekend, I would wait till after then.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    How have you been growing them?
    What are your conditions and climate?
    When did you sow them?
    A frost doesn't bother them - not unless it's been sub zero for several days. Mine are out in the frosts we've had during this last week.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • StocksuStocksu Posts: 4
    Hi

    Thanks for all your comments :-)

    I think I sowed them in January, in root trainers but only moved them to their current positions about a fortnight ago.  They are in multi-purpose compost with a bit of blood, fish and bone meal.  The troughs are nice and deep.
    I've started putting them out during the day in a nice shady corner and bringing them in at night.  I've also sprayed the leaves this week with an epsom salt solution as I thought that might help.  
    The white leaves started to appear when they were still in their root trainers and there are LOADS of them.  Well there would be if I hadn't chopped them all off last Sunday!  I wanted to see if they would still appear after having been put in their troughs and I've had about three or four leaves turn since.  It's mostly leaves at the top of the plants - those at the bottom are still nice and green and they kind of fade away as you go up the plant.
    They may have got scorched in the conservatory as it was hot and sunny in there, but that would have happened a couple of weeks ago.  Would they still be turning white now if that was the case?..  That doesn't really bode well for their final positions as I'm hoping to put them against a fence on a hot, sunny patio :-(
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I'd get them in the ground asap.
    The concoction of MPC (which has fertilizer added), BFB and magnesium via epsom salts could cause the yellowing - you may have over done it there a bit.
    They'll be fine on the fence - don't plant them too closely to the fence though as they're very dry at the base usually.
    Most important is to keep them watered. In a warm position they're prone to mildew if they get stressed by drying out at the roots and keep an eye out for aphids on them too.
    But the scent and beauty is worth the effort - usually :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Yep - too early for sowing, and then kept far too hot. A conservatory has far too much fluctuation in temperature as well. 
    Best to either sow in autumn, and keep pinching them out to get them bushy, or wait until March or so. They really don't need much heat, and they should take around two to three weeks to germinate, so if they're quicker than that, it's not great. Mine are in a small greenhouse with the lid opened all winter if I sow in autumn [which I rarely do] and the spring sown ones are the same. Even the ones which are only just showing are outside in everything except rough, wet windy weather.  
    Troughs tend to be too shallow, but as long as you feed and water them well, they should be ok. Don't put too many in the troughs either. If you have well rotted manure, or even just some good garden soil, I'd put that in the bottom - it won't dry out so quickly then. I use old turf if I have it, for the bottom of pots. 
    Tomato food is far better as a feed,or that granular stuff for annuals. B,F&B isn't much use for them.
    I find many are better in a bit less sun - and we don't get the amount of sun here that the south gets. It's also much harder to keep them hydrated too.   
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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