Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Sow now or spring

valerierobertsvalerieroberts Posts: 726
in Plants
hi sweet pea growers, what is the best time to sow sweet pea seeds. I have a cold greenhouse to put them in over winter. Thank you for your expertise. Valerie 

Posts

  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Monty said on his show on Friday that he was sowing them now and putting them in his cold greenhouse. So if Monty says so I’d do it soonish 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    You can certainly do them now, but don't cosset them, or you'll end up with etiolated lanky specimens. Don't use good compost either - use old stuff or seed compost, as too many nutrients create the same problem.
    If you have warmer conditions generally, you'll find they'll need pinching out regularly. They only need basic protection from the worst weather - mainly rain/sleet, so make sure there's good ventilation   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    I do both, gives me a prolonged period of flowering.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • valerierobertsvalerieroberts Posts: 726
    @punkdoc thank you,  do you mean by both, sow now in poor soil? Thank you @Fairygirl @ bcpathome. that was quite a surprise about the soil. I was thinking that sweet peas needed all the good stuff they could get. Maybe it’s just the first long paper pot I have made that gets the poor stuff and when I transplant them next year outside they get the best of everything. Luckily, I taped Fridays programme of gardeners world. But I always find it best to go with someone who has had success and gives all the little details I’m likely to come across. Valerie 
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Sorry, I meant sow now and in Spring. I just use standard MPC.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • valerierobertsvalerieroberts Posts: 726
    @punkdoc, thank you, here I go. Valerie 
  • *Astrantia**Astrantia* Posts: 307
    I planted some a few weeks ago & they’re coming up now I have never planted them in autumn only spring 2 years ago and they seemed to take ages to get going & didn’t flower very well but I had an old greenhouse with half the panes missing & a north facing garden. I’ve moved now have a better, but still cold greenhouse and still a north facing garden!
    I would like to know when they should be pinched out mine just have a few leaves on them at the moment .
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They need lots of food once they're actually in growth properly next year. They don't really need anything just now when germinating.
    If you sow in spring, ordinary MPC is also fine because they're going to be growing on form there. At this time of year, they need very little in the way of nutrients, because you don't want them to get big.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • valerierobertsvalerieroberts Posts: 726
    @Fairygirl, ok got that. Thanks
Sign In or Register to comment.