hmmm have noticed i was v stingy with compost so a good few aren't in as deep as i planned..i planted 60, should i turf out and replant shallow seeds or just plant more for lusk? planted so many as a;want lots! b; want to give my mum some and c; have little faith ! am so annoyed as tried to do it right,as always was rushing
hmmm have noticed i was v stingy with compost so a good few aren't in as deep as i planned..i planted 60, should i turf out and replant shallow seeds or just plant more for lusk? planted so many as a;want lots! b; want to give my mum some and c; have little faith ! am so annoyed as tried to do it right,as always was rushing
Louise, no one should beat themselves up about not doing the right thing. Having said that, It wouldn't wouldn't really be wise to disturb those you feel are sown too shallow.....better to add more compost if possible.
Hi David - I have just found some 2/3-year old sweet pea seeds, many still in the pod, which I collected from a very good sweet pea batch in the autumn of 2012 I think. They've been in a dark cupboard all that time; do you think they'd be viable for sowing/germinating this year? There was no rotting and they look pretty much like the new ones I bought in packets for this year. Thank you!
Fidget, my mother used to put her edible garden peas in paraffin before sowing because the smell kept the mice away. Would probably work for sweet peas.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Hi David - I have just found some 2/3-year old sweet pea seeds, many still in the pod, which I collected from a very good sweet pea batch in the autumn of 2012 I think. They've been in a dark cupboard all that time; do you think they'd be viable for sowing/germinating this year? There was no rotting and they look pretty much like the new ones I bought in packets for this year. Thank you!
I can't see why not, worst case scenario would be perhaps be a few may fail.
The Victorians used to make a paste using *red-lead & paraffin for coating their edible peas prior to sowing to deter mice. They also lined the sowing drill with pieces of chopped-up gorse.
*Red-lead is definitely not recommended or used in this way these days.
I had some old sweet pea seeds that I found in a jar in the garage. I put them on some damp kitchen paper and then as they started to germinate, I put the seed with a tiny shoot about an inch deep in compost. I had about 80% germination with no wasted compost.
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Thanks David
hmmm have noticed i was v stingy with compost so a good few aren't in as deep as i planned..i planted 60, should i turf out and replant shallow seeds or just plant more for lusk? planted so many as a;want lots! b; want to give my mum some and c; have little faith ! am so annoyed as tried to do it right,as always was rushing
Louise, no one should beat themselves up about not doing the right thing. Having said that, It wouldn't wouldn't really be wise to disturb those you feel are sown too shallow.....better to add more compost if possible.
Hi David - I have just found some 2/3-year old sweet pea seeds, many still in the pod, which I collected from a very good sweet pea batch in the autumn of 2012 I think. They've been in a dark cupboard all that time; do you think they'd be viable for sowing/germinating this year? There was no rotting and they look pretty much like the new ones I bought in packets for this year. Thank you!
Fidget, my mother used to put her edible garden peas in paraffin before sowing because the smell kept the mice away. Would probably work for sweet peas.
I can't see why not, worst case scenario would be perhaps be a few may fail.
The Victorians used to make a paste using *red-lead & paraffin for coating their edible peas prior to sowing to deter mice. They also lined the sowing drill with pieces of chopped-up gorse.
*Red-lead is definitely not recommended or used in this way these days.
thanks David, i'll do that tomorrow if i get 2 minutes, was going to today but wanted to see yours or others more experienced advice 1st
I had some old sweet pea seeds that I found in a jar in the garage. I put them on some damp kitchen paper and then as they started to germinate, I put the seed with a tiny shoot about an inch deep in compost. I had about 80% germination with no wasted compost.
Yay!!! First sweet pea seedling has made an appearance - sown last Wednesday!!!
They're indoors on the dining room windowsill. The mini-grow house is waiting for them.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.