The timing for flowering also depends on what your conditions are like for planting out in spring @celcius_kkw. It's why I rarely bother because spring sown seed catches up. April into May isn't warm enough here for any appreciable growth.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The timing for flowering also depends on what your conditions are like for planting out in spring @celcius_kkw. It's why I rarely bother because spring sown seed catches up. April into May isn't warm enough here for any appreciable growth.
Absolutely - I had amazing strong plants this year (until I failed to water them through a drought!) and, as well as the extra rain this year, I think it was mainly because I got them planted out very early - late Feb /early March I think. They didn't appear to put on growth and looked very pathetic, but when it came to growing time they'd obviously developed great roots and threw out lots of new shoots from the base.
So much depends on climate/location though - your spring sowing probably gives them as much of the cool growing-on they crave as my winter sowing does!
We normally still have snow/sleet/frost and ice through April @CharlotteF, so even healthy plants don't move much until around Mid May. Mine would only be a few inches tall at that point. We had a very warm April in 2020, and by chance I'd sown some autumn ones, so I had flowers in early to mid July. It wouldn't normally happen.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Mine sat under snow in April while they were spindly plants a few inches high. I really thought they were done for but they must have been doing something! I'll have to look back through some photos to see when they took off and then flowered.
@Fairygirl Here in Liverpool we haven’t had any snow beyond march for years.. so I’m hoping to plant them out by April next year. It’s just my apartment windowsills and little polytunnel will run out of space very quickly in spring with all the sowings.. so the sooner I could get seedlings in the ground the better. I am hoping that by sowing the sweet peas in autumn they would grow hardier and therefore would stand a better chance at surviving the April and may frosts..
They're fine in frost [within reason] because they're hardy annuals, not half hardy, but when it's cold, especially wet and cold, they tend to just sit and not do much. The advantage of autumn sowing is that you get a well developed root system for planting out, and the plants can therefore withstand other problems - like slugs The important thing is - don't cosset them. If they have too much warmth, and not enough light [another problem over winter months] they just become weak and etiolated, so it's also important to pinch them out regularly to promote bushier growth. They should take around 2 to 4 weeks to germinate. If it's happening faster than that, they're too warm
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Oh and the cats,that dig up the veg plot!! (direct sow,no go) I swore I wouldn't bother again with autumn sowing sweet peas, because of the lack of room. However last year,free packet of seeds on another garden mag,they were the best sweet peas I've ever had!! We've had a big cut back,no meals out etc. and bought another small lean to. We have a small open plan bungalow, because of May frost this year,every window sill whole of the conservatory (,it's where the dinner table is,) window sills,tables were chock with plants, the Green houses were full, swore not again! Basic house work was a nightmare. Remind me people,NOT to buy postie plugs. This year,100 plus had to be potted on twice,have always done the hanging baskets Easter weekend..
As @Dovefromabove said - it's not having room to sow the seed that's the problem , it's what happens once they germinate, and need separating and potting on
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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I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
So much depends on climate/location though - your spring sowing probably gives them as much of the cool growing-on they crave as my winter sowing does!
We had a very warm April in 2020, and by chance I'd sown some autumn ones, so I had flowers in early to mid July. It wouldn't normally happen.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
The important thing is - don't cosset them. If they have too much warmth, and not enough light [another problem over winter months] they just become weak and etiolated, so it's also important to pinch them out regularly to promote bushier growth.
They should take around 2 to 4 weeks to germinate. If it's happening faster than that, they're too warm
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...