David. My sweet pea, sown Sept/Oct time and in an unheated GH, are doing really well. This is the mildest winter in the last three though. The tops have been nipped off some, as they've continued to grow over winter, but the stems are bulking out and the plants survived being nipped off. Watered them this weekend from the bottom as the compost was getting dry even though we are expecting frost this coming week and their pots may freeze they needed some water.
Zoomer - Pleased to hear your SPs are doing well. Weather-wise, I think (here in the Midlands anyway) the present one year has been favourable.
Re watering & frosty weather, I just try to caution against those tiny roots being encased in a block of ice and they really don't mind being kept on the dry side....an entirely different matter in the growing season though, when they need copious amounts of water & sun.
A little growth at this time would be acceptable inasmuch as they will be planted out in a month or so in some parts of the country.
'If you plant the seed in a pot of good compost beginning of February, water well, cover with cling film keeping them at 60/65F., then when the plant has produced six full leafs, cut them back so as to leave four leaves on the original plant, the piece you have cut off is extremely valuable since it contains the leader cell growth, in affect stem cells, dip this in hormone powder, and stand in a jar of water the hormone powder will stimulate growth to the extent that it will have a stronger root complex than the original plant, you do not have to use water you can plant direct into compost but you will not have the benefit of watching the root growth which takes 10 days, no other part of the Sweet Pea will allow cuttings. The most important thing is you must water the leafs every day until the roots appear'
'If you plant the seed in a pot of good compost beginning of February, water well, cover with cling film keeping them at 60/65F., then when the plant has produced six full leafs, cut them back so as to leave four leaves on the original plant, the piece you have cut off is extremely valuable since it contains the leader cell growth, in affect stem cells, dip this in hormone powder, and stand in a jar of water the hormone powder will stimulate growth to the extent that it will have a stronger root complex than the original plant, you do not have to use water you can plant direct into compost but you will not have the benefit of watching the root growth which takes 10 days, no other part of the Sweet Pea will allow cuttings. The most important thing is you must water the leafs every day until the roots appear'
Carly
Read the link, Carly. Some of the content is valid (IMHO) other bits are just twaddle.
It may be worth noting that when the growing tips have been nipped out, they can be potted-up and the rooting success rate is quite good....plants for free!
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David. My sweet pea, sown Sept/Oct time and in an unheated GH, are doing really well. This is the mildest winter in the last three though. The tops have been nipped off some, as they've continued to grow over winter, but the stems are bulking out and the plants survived being nipped off. Watered them this weekend from the bottom as the compost was getting dry even though we are expecting frost this coming week and their pots may freeze they needed some water.
Zoomer - Pleased to hear your SPs are doing well. Weather-wise, I think (here in the Midlands anyway) the present one year has been favourable.
Re watering & frosty weather, I just try to caution against those tiny roots being encased in a block of ice and they really don't mind being kept on the dry side....an entirely different matter in the growing season though, when they need copious amounts of water & sun.
A little growth at this time would be acceptable inasmuch as they will be planted out in a month or so in some parts of the country.
Mine are about so at the moment:
PS......two seedlings per pot.
Ooh lovely David, I hope mine do as well. I will put two per pot with the next lot it seems to work better than one.
Does anyone know if it's worthwhile making a trench for SP's and filling it with kitchen peelings etc as you would for a bean trench?
Carly
Very nice David. I haven't as many but they are about the same...makes a mental note about watering...
Before you start nipping folks, what do you make of this from the Black Country Society (http://www.blackcountrysociety.co.uk/articles/gardening/sweetpeas.htm)?
'If you plant the seed in a pot of good compost beginning of February, water well, cover with cling film keeping them at 60/65F., then when the plant has produced six full leafs, cut them back so as to leave four leaves on the original plant, the piece you have cut off is extremely valuable since it contains the leader cell growth, in affect stem cells, dip this in hormone powder, and stand in a jar of water the hormone powder will stimulate growth to the extent that it will have a stronger root complex than the original plant, you do not have to use water you can plant direct into compost but you will not have the benefit of watching the root growth which takes 10 days, no other part of the Sweet Pea will allow cuttings. The most important thing is you must water the leafs every day until the roots appear'
Carly
I am still Confused as to where exactly to nip them . It sounds like it must be precise or I will ruin all my efforts. Debra
I think you just nip out the growing tip Debra but wait until you have six sets of leaves.
Carly
Debra, pinching out is like so:
Before pinching out:
After pinching out:
Removed growing tip:
Finished article:
Oh, and it's highly unlikely that you will do any harm by any pinching out mishap.
Read the link, Carly. Some of the content is valid (IMHO) other bits are just twaddle.
It may be worth noting that when the growing tips have been nipped out, they can be potted-up and the rooting success rate is quite good....plants for free!