I've always sown direct in the past - this year I'm trying an autumn sowing in root trainers - David, should I start them off on the kitchen windowsill untl they germinate and then put them outside in the coldframe, or will they be ok germinating out in the coldframe?
I'm growing Cupani for the scent.
They will germinate fine outside in your coldframe.
Later this week the weather is set to turn much colder, this is typical of this time of year and is very good (predictable weather makes gardening so much easier)....certainly nothing to be concerned about.
In fact, It does illustrate clearly why mid-Oct is the preferred time to sow those SP seed i.e. taking advantage of the last of season's warmth to germinate the seed, then the onset of cold weather to make them mark time until probably next March.
Of course, the seed can be sown right up to Christmas (after that you might as well wait until March) but a little heat (10/15C) will be needed to get them started.
hi, This is my first year gardening. Started in March.
sweet peas sown 20/10 had shoots appearing 3/11!!
I have 2 types, a bijou that is supposed to be for pots and wont need supports and a purple matucana. I grew some of the bijou this year and they got nearly 4" high! so much for not needing support. Infact one of them is still going. i'm not dead heading it anymore in the hope i get seeds.
David K , now they are sprouting, do i just leave them in my greenhouse? (small, plastic, covered in bubble wrap, not frost free) I'm in Cheltenham and its still quite mild at the mo, only had one light frost.
How I wish I had read this forum before I sowed my autumn sweet pea. I seem to have done most of the wrong things as a result of which I have leggy plants which I probably sowed too early and didn't appreciate they didn't need extra warmth to germinate in the autumn. My only excuse is that I've never tried autumn sweet pea before and I that only joined the Gardner's World site last week. I hope to do better next year!
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They will germinate fine outside in your coldframe.
Hurrah! Thanks David
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thank you for your advice David.
Later this week the weather is set to turn much colder, this is typical of this time of year and is very good (predictable weather makes gardening so much easier)....certainly nothing to be concerned about.
In fact, It does illustrate clearly why mid-Oct is the preferred time to sow those SP seed i.e. taking advantage of the last of season's warmth to germinate the seed, then the onset of cold weather to make them mark time until probably next March.
Of course, the seed can be sown right up to Christmas (after that you might as well wait until March) but a little heat (10/15C) will be needed to get them started.
Sweet peas finally sown. Now that wait to see if they germinate
Because of the imminent frost warnings, & we did go down below freezing this week, I put the pots onto a window sill. My greenhouse is NOT frost free!
Germination just now starting, so will move them as nec into the big coldframe. J.
hi, This is my first year gardening. Started in March.
sweet peas sown 20/10 had shoots appearing 3/11!!
I have 2 types, a bijou that is supposed to be for pots and wont need supports and a purple matucana. I grew some of the bijou this year and they got nearly 4" high! so much for not needing support. Infact one of them is still going. i'm not dead heading it anymore in the hope i get seeds.
David K , now they are sprouting, do i just leave them in my greenhouse? (small, plastic, covered in bubble wrap, not frost free) I'm in Cheltenham and its still quite mild at the mo, only had one light frost.
Thanks
Yes, just leave them in your plastic mini-greenhouse, they are perfectly hardy and don't need any form of heat.
3 out of 4 pots have now germinated & been popped out into a coldframe, along with some other HA seedlings.
Will do a further sowing in Feb as normal. J.
How I wish I had read this forum before I sowed my autumn sweet pea. I seem to have done most of the wrong things as a result of which I have leggy plants which I probably sowed too early and didn't appreciate they didn't need extra warmth to germinate in the autumn. My only excuse is that I've never tried autumn sweet pea before and I that only joined the Gardner's World site last week. I hope to do better next year!