Disasterous Sweet Peas

[Jameslovell]

HELP!!!
Last year I put some sweet pea seeds in a seed tray but not one came up.

I have sown some more this year and had the same problem. They have been in the tray for almost two weeks with no activity. What am I doing wrong? They are in my propogator in the dining room at the moment.

I am using a different pack of seeds as I thought I had a rubbish packet of seeds last year, but it must just be me.

Any advice is gratfully received.
J

[hamsterqueen]

I've got about half mine germinated and they are just weedy spindly stems..

I never have much luck with sweet peas.

[Two_Sheds]

Mine have been superb (sorry!).

They have long roots so a seed tray isn't really adequate. Root-trainers or loo rolls are better.

However, this won't affect germination.
Sweet peas are hardy, and don't need any heat to germinate. They can be sown outside now that it's spring.
I soak mine in cold water overnight, then rinse in fresh water (and drain) every day until they sprout. Then plant up into your pots and away you go.

[Sweepster]

This is my third (I think) year of growing them, and the first year that they all look sturdy and healthy (too long on the window sill in previous years - you have to grow em hard ). I sow two or three seeds in a loo roll inner - fill with compost, water lightly, place seeds on top of the compost and gently push them down about 1cm with the end of a pencil, cover over with the compost and place them somewhere warmish and lightish. I put clingfilm over the top of them til they germinated (not essential, and remember to keep checking for germination so they don't bang their little heads on the clingfilm cos they grow quickly).

Forgot to say, I don't soak my seeds. Doesn't seem necessary.

[Fat Bob]

I grew stacks this year and as Two Sheds says, the roots are HUGE! When I potted some on out of trays, the seedling was about 3" high and the primary root was about 5".

I won't bother next year, the seeds can go straight into the ground. Way too much messing about otherwise.

Mine are all outside now.

[Victoria26]

Mines were sown about 2 months ago in seed trays and left outside. Some germinated straight away and some took 4 weeks.

Just be patient - they'll come up! If not I'll send you some seedlings as I have far too many!

[MrsC]

Hi I always sow outside (unheated greenhouse) in root trainers, takes about 2 weeks for them to appear, but this was about 6 weeks ago, planted out last week

[bobbin]

I soaked my sweet pea seeds last night.......

Gosh that sounds like..Last night I dreamed of Mandalay
Anyway had a look at some "growing sweet pea" sites just now and they mostly say do not soak seed as they can rot!
So much for packet info.I have in the past done both. Grrrrr.
What say you?

[HeyWayne]

Planted a load out last night having grown them in pots. Some of them the roots had come through the drainage holes, and others hadn't. Pulled them gently out and planted them carefully along the trough/bed at the top of the garden behind some pea netting to a) give them something to grow up, and b) keep the blasted cat from pooping in the bed.

Germination didn't seem to be a problem - just planted them in pots in the greenhouse and hey presto - there they were a couple of weeks later. Mine were sown on the 22nd March.

[TEB]

I sowed 16 White supreme on the 23 Feb using the soaking overnight method and 16 Midnight using the rubbing with sandpaper method, off the soaking all have germinated but slowly, off the rubbing with sandpaper - 14 have germinated and are at least twice the height of the soaked overnight experiment.

Grown in root trainers, unheated greenhouse and have been hardening off for the last 2 weeks

[Kath]

How long do they need to harden off,please before you plant them?

[Scotkat]

Mine have been outside for a month now and even survived the hard frost.

[Kath]

Ah right. Thank you for your prompt reply.

[Two_Sheds]

How long do they need to harden off,please before you plant them?

Everything, doesn't matter what it is, needs 7-10 days of gradual exposure to the outside, to harden off.

Put them out daytimes, take them in at night.

[Jameslovell]

Two have arrived!!!
Only another 18 to go, but I'm on a roll now. he he he.

HeyWayne: I miss read the words 'blasted cat' as something quite different. Oh and did you see what I did to the Attonement poster???