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hardening off and planting out autumn-sown peas and sweetpeas

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  • REMF33REMF33 Posts: 731
    edited March 2022
    I *think* temperaturewise your Sutton dwarfs *could* go out, maybe, at a pinch... but sizewise, as @Fairygirl says, best to wait a bit.

    Kings Seeds suggests the former at any rate: 
    https://www.kingsseeds.com/Products/Vegetable-Seeds/Beans/Broad-Bean-The-Sutton-Dwarf-PPP-A-Vicia-faba-B-GB40557-C-lot-see-pkt-DGB
    Although what geographical location is that based on?!
    You will need to harden them off once they are big enough.

    Not sure re the peas but possibly the same. But maybe don't risk it size aside.

    I shall put mine out this month, but they have endured sub zero temperatures in the greenshouse, so should be ok, as long as we don't have another windy storm.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    As with any plant, especially at this time of year, it's what's happening below the surface that matters. Plants need a healthy root system that's robust enough to support the top growth. If that isn't there on planting out, it's hard for a plant to thrive. 
    Easier in late spring/summer for them to get going, but not just now. Just keep checking the base of the pots and when there's roots showing out the holes, you can pot on. 
    How quickly you can then put them out is determined, as always, by your own climate and conditions, especially if they're going in the ground   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • REMF33REMF33 Posts: 731
    Absolutely. The March planting out is based on autumn sowing and robust plants.

    So for me: my November-sown broad beans certainly need either potting on or planting out as they are a foot tall and only in root trainers... with, not surprisingly, roots coming put the bottom. Some are flowering. I have been doing temperature comparisons. The air temperature has been only 0.5C warmer in the greenhouse at night than outside (rather disappointingly). I don't think they will need much, if any, hardening off. Will check the temperature in the raised bed though.

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The greenhouse temp differences is the reason I don't really bother with autumn sowings of anything. It's usually the same in the greenhouse as it is outside here, so nothing germinates unless it's sown in about early September. Mine is a small one though, which probably doesn't help.
    Easier to do it at this time of year  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • REMF33REMF33 Posts: 731
    Mine were germinated in the house then taken straight to the greenhouse.



    Not a great number as it was an experiment. Plus borad beans are not my favourite thing ;) (I am more of a French bean and pea person!)
    Re my sweet peas, I think they have grown too much in the greenhouse - or more than I wanted them to. I can't seem to be able to get little bushy plants however diligently I pinch put. But they are not too big. 
    There was a far bigger temperature differential between my cold frame and the outside last year, than between the greenhouse and outside.
    This does rather have ramifications for when I can put tomatoes in there. Maybe the difference will be bigger once we start getting sunnier days, as the greenhouse will, hopefully warm up more in the day and retain some of that at night. Top temps in the day in there have been in the 30s on occasions though. But perhaps it needs to be sustained. (I got my this, my first greenhouse, in July so much to discover.)
  • SonnieBSonnieB Posts: 124
    @Fairygirl and @REMF33 your comments have been so helpful. And I have learnt some things.   :)
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The most important thing with greenhouses and cold frames, of any size, is ventilation.
    Autumn sown sweet peas don't need warmth - just protection from rough weather. That's where it can be problematic if they grow too much.
    Again, differences in conditions - when[if] I sow any in autumn, they don't grow too much. 
    I never grow tomatoes outside here because it just isn't feasible. Temps here aren't consistent enough in summer months, even during the day. It's not unknown for it to be low teens.  If things keep changing re the climate though, it may be possible in future. 

    Sometimes, it's about experimenting a little bit too @SonnieB. Sowing at different times to see what suits your conditions, and also what time you have to care for seedlings and young plants  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • SonnieBSonnieB Posts: 124
    @Fairygirl I did plant some beans in my raised bed around Nov they didn't grow and I put some in a pot kept outside just to see what would happen.  I didn't plant many in the pot probably about 6.  4 actually grew, but 2 were eaten by something and 2 have survived.  They are still very small but have started to grow bigger over the last couple of weeks and are similar in size to the beans/peas I showed you earlier. After seeing @REMF33 specimins I can see I'm way off size wise.  I am not fan of Broad beans either. I just seem to have packets upon packets so thought I would give them a go.  Love french beans though. 
  • RachelFRachelF Posts: 6
    edited March 2022
    I did put fleece on mine in the dead of winter. (They still got frost bite though!) I think they did most of their growing before Christmas. And as I said, they got a head start with germination in the house. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    All the peas, edible or otherwise, are very attractive to mice as seed, until they get into proper growth, so that's a possibility. Slugs like the soft growth, so the ones which had germinated and grown will possibly have been eaten by them. 
    That's gardening  ;)
    I don't like any beans broad, runner or anything else, so the only thing I occasionally grow is mange tout. I sow them later on though.  :)
    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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