david should i feed my sp's at all now? if so what? i fed tomato feed last year but once they'd flowered, managing to keep slugs at bay with beer/lager, emptying tins every other day, that makes me cringe i hate them so much, i put them in plastic bag in bin or down drain is this best thing to do?
Louise - I have to agree, zapping slugs this way is a pretty yucky business.....stay brave, they will soon be romping away & immune from them (shall I change my avatar?)
I don't know what preparation of your soil you did prior to planting, but if you added compost/manure/bonemeal etc, they'll not need feeding until they start to flower.
What to feed? Providing it's a high potash feed, it doesn't really matter.
I'm getting ready to sow my trial 'in situ' seeds which arrived today. My other half has (half) dug my trench and I'm collecting some horse manure this afternoon. I've also got some bone fish and blood to mix thru the soil. What else do I need? Carpet to cover the area until they germinate? And slug traps? What would anyone suggest in terms of support- wigwams or canes with wire between?
Linzy - No need for carpet. Horse manure (hope it is well rotted) & blood, fish 'n bone will be fine, just bonemeal on its own would have been enough.
Supports...it's really a matter of personal choice. Some like wigwams made from canes or hazel poles, others use pea-nets suspended between stout posts, or maybe twiggy branches....whatever you choose, remember they will grow to a least 6/7ft tall.
hi, i've been following this thread and noting down so many tips.
I havent seen anything (though confess that I could've missed it) on dwarf varieties. I have some on my windowsill and wondering if would still pinch them out when i have two sets of leaves?
Also, i have "regular" full height ones germinating on a windowsill, some germinated with in 14 days others seem to be pushing the 21 day mark (but still coming through). i have potted the ones up that germinated first as they were at the top of my propagators lid (into those biodegradable pots) and put them onto the windowsill. my question is...what now!?! how will i know when they are ready to go outside? i'd say they're not as bushy as David K's but approx 10-15cm. i probably need to pinch out dont i (another worrying mum here)...
any advice appreciated as this is my first attempt at sweetpeas. oh and if it makes any difference, i have cane wigwams in tall pots as i wanted to put them on the patio.
1) I wouldn't advise sweet peas being in a propagator at any time.
2) Dwarf (hanging basket) varieties don't need pinching out.
3) Best results are from seed sown in deep pots, where they should remain until being planted out...hence avoiding root disturbance (which they don't like) when potting-on.
4) It would seem that yours may be a little soft from over protection, so for a week put them outside during the day & bring them back indoors at night......then plant them out where they are to flower. Before that pinch-out the growing tips of those 10-15cm ones.
Not sure if you spotted on previous pages, but I did say that germination usually takes between 7 to 21 days...so you seen to be on course for that, although it can take longer depending on temperatures.
Hi Snowdrop, I have learned so much from this thread and David. My key words to remember are DON'T MOLLYCODDLE Apparently this is what ladies like to do, must be the mothering instinct (I'm presuming you are a lady, sorry!).
I planted my seedlings out several weeks ago, some I 'forgot' about and yes I have lost a couple, not to slugs but to some form of wildlife trampling on them, but the rest (4!) are lovely and bushing out well. The ones I have been caring for more are a bit more straggly although still starting to bush out!!
I have bought some seeds on David's recommendation, I am going to sow some and save the rest for Autumn sowings, I've never done that before but will be trying this year now I have expert advice.
In the next few days I will be sowing my direct ones, I am going to sow, put the poles in and leave
Posts
david should i feed my sp's at all now? if so what? i fed tomato feed last year but once they'd flowered, managing to keep slugs at bay with beer/lager, emptying tins every other day, that makes me cringe i hate them so much, i put them in plastic bag in bin or down drain is this best thing to do?
Louise - I have to agree, zapping slugs this way is a pretty yucky business.....stay brave, they will soon be romping away & immune from them (shall I change my avatar?)
I don't know what preparation of your soil you did prior to planting, but if you added compost/manure/bonemeal etc, they'll not need feeding until they start to flower.
What to feed? Providing it's a high potash feed, it doesn't really matter.
i dug in general compost this year and last year loads of manure
I'm getting ready to sow my trial 'in situ' seeds which arrived today. My other half has (half) dug my trench and I'm collecting some horse manure this afternoon. I've also got some bone fish and blood to mix thru the soil. What else do I need? Carpet to cover the area until they germinate? And slug traps? What would anyone suggest in terms of support- wigwams or canes with wire between?
Thanks for any advice.
Linzy - No need for carpet. Horse manure (hope it is well rotted) & blood, fish 'n bone will be fine, just bonemeal on its own would have been enough.
Supports...it's really a matter of personal choice. Some like wigwams made from canes or hazel poles, others use pea-nets suspended between stout posts, or maybe twiggy branches....whatever you choose, remember they will grow to a least 6/7ft tall.
hi, i've been following this thread and noting down so many tips.
I havent seen anything (though confess that I could've missed it) on dwarf varieties. I have some on my windowsill and wondering if would still pinch them out when i have two sets of leaves?
Also, i have "regular" full height ones germinating on a windowsill, some germinated with in 14 days others seem to be pushing the 21 day mark (but still coming through). i have potted the ones up that germinated first as they were at the top of my propagators lid (into those biodegradable pots) and put them onto the windowsill. my question is...what now!?! how will i know when they are ready to go outside? i'd say they're not as bushy as David K's but approx 10-15cm. i probably need to pinch out dont i (another worrying mum here)...
any advice appreciated as this is my first attempt at sweetpeas. oh and if it makes any difference, i have cane wigwams in tall pots as i wanted to put them on the patio.
Hi, Snowdrop....here goes.
1) I wouldn't advise sweet peas being in a propagator at any time.
2) Dwarf (hanging basket) varieties don't need pinching out.
3) Best results are from seed sown in deep pots, where they should remain until being planted out...hence avoiding root disturbance (which they don't like) when potting-on.
4) It would seem that yours may be a little soft from over protection, so for a week put them outside during the day & bring them back indoors at night......then plant them out where they are to flower. Before that pinch-out the growing tips of those 10-15cm ones.
Not sure if you spotted on previous pages, but I did say that germination usually takes between 7 to 21 days...so you seen to be on course for that, although it can take longer depending on temperatures.
oh no, fundamental mistake! I think I made the assumption that people were growing using a propagator when talking about them
.
thanks so much for taking the time to reply
i will start hardening these little fellas up as per your advice and see what happens
This year i'm planning some October sewn ones in a cold frame so it will be very interesting to see the difference
Don't worry about it, Snowdrop....nothing you have done is irretrievable.
I would say, successful growing of sweet peas is as difficult as we care to make it.
Hi Snowdrop, I have learned so much from this thread and David. My key words to remember are DON'T MOLLYCODDLE
Apparently this is what ladies like to do, must be the mothering instinct (I'm presuming you are a lady, sorry!).
I planted my seedlings out several weeks ago, some I 'forgot' about and yes I have lost a couple, not to slugs but to some form of wildlife trampling on them, but the rest (4!) are lovely and bushing out well. The ones I have been caring for more are a bit more straggly although still starting to bush out!!
I have bought some seeds on David's recommendation, I am going to sow some and save the rest for Autumn sowings, I've never done that before but will be trying this year now I have expert advice.
In the next few days I will be sowing my direct ones, I am going to sow, put the poles in and leave