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Growing Sweet Peas

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  • Hi, Dove. First of all let me say that I'm pleased to hear your father is now feeling better.

    Regarding those sweet peas....yes, there is still time to sow the seed, although they will now need a little help to germinate. I've used my unheated spare bedroom in the past, but remember to put them into a coldframe or cold greenhouse immediately the first few have surfaced.

     

  • Norm2Norm2 Posts: 86

    Hi David, really enjoyed reading this thread as I really like sweet peas, have you any advice on everlasting sweet peas please ? I have some  fresh seeds which were given to me and wondered if they would come true from seed and when to plant them.

    Regards Norm 

  • Hi, Norm...sorry to appear a bit thick, but I'm not sure what is the basis for doubting whether or nor they would grow true to type, especially as you refer to them as 'fresh' seed.

    Having said that (although I don't grow them) I can say that they have a purpose in the garden for covering say garage walls or unsightly fences. The only maintenance required is to cut them back to ground height in the spring...of course, they don't have any scent, which is a priority for me when contemplating growing SPs.

  • Norm2Norm2 Posts: 86

    Hi David, sorry it's me that's a bit thick, please forgive me, I know that they are fresh as my sister gave them to me having picked them from her own plant about 3 weeks ago.

    I asked about true to type as I read earlier on in your responses that sweet peas can be cross pollinated and I know she had standard type sweet peas growing nearby.

    Thanks for the info regarding them not being scented I didn't know that,

    regards Norm

     

     

  • Zoomer44Zoomer44 Posts: 3,267

    Hi, David...I wasn't going to sow sweet pea this autumn only because there wasn't  room to plant out in Spring those which were sown last autumn and they became a tangled mess... but had seeds left over, so, sowed some early October time which seems the best time here, thought they may have been sown to early...

    ...but they are a nice size, about 3 to 4 inches. Pinched the tops off some to stop them growing and apart from that no TLC or mollycoddling... you would be proud...image

    I only get to see them at weekends but looking good at presentimage  

  • No prob, Norm image Yes, see above info re them growing true to type & remember they are quite robust in growth habit.

  • Hi, Zoomer....the weather is forecast to turn colder in the next few days, so that bodes well for growing strong stocky plants; hope no-one gets any ideas of bringing them indoors or using heat!

  • Thank you David - I'll sow them this weekend and keep them on a windowsill in the sitting room until I see signs of life then they'll go out into the coldframe.  image

    Pinching out at how many leaves?


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • "Pinching out at how many leaves?"

    Two or three pairs.

  • Just to say that I understand that we may be having temperatures of around -9c next week. This is the time I may consider closing the lid on the cold-frame & perhaps throw a piece of old carpet over it.

    But don't worry, the frost won't kill them (even if the compost in the pots is frozen solid)  please be careful not to water at this time.

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