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Post by Plocket on Mar 25, 2008 16:41:18 GMT
I thought there was a sweetpea thread but I can't find it  Anyway... At the garden centre today LP suggested that we get some sweetpeas (amongst other things) - have I done the right thing to plant them out with cloches over them? Will they be ok? |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2008 16:55:37 GMT
Hi P ;D Erm, no expert, but my sweetpeas have been in the ground for about two weeks, and don't seem to have suffered any ill effects (despite the snow :  |
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Post by Jasmine on Mar 25, 2008 17:04:35 GMT
Mine were planted out last weekend and have survived the snow and wind this weekend. There was nothing I could do except keep my fingers crossed as we were away..I was not expecting good news when I went to check them this morning but they were fine...what a relief! Yours should be ok too especially with a cloche over them - it's got to start getting a bit warmer soon...hasn't it?  |
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Post by Chuckles on Mar 25, 2008 17:04:56 GMT
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Post by Plocket on Mar 25, 2008 17:06:46 GMT
Ah that must be what I was thinking of Chuckles - I can hardly trial these as I didn't grow them!!!
Thanks Jasmine and RM - I guess I'm molly-coddling mine a bit then but they look so delicate! I certainly hope the weather is going to warm up a bit soon.
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Post by Chuckles on Mar 25, 2008 17:50:44 GMT
Ah that must be what I was thinking of Chuckles - I can hardly trial these as I didn't grow them!!! Thanks Jasmine and RM - I guess I'm molly-coddling mine a bit then but they look so delicate! I certainly hope the weather is going to warm up a bit soon. Well I've sown some dwarf ones for hanging baskets in the 2008 Trials and am not doing too well, 1 of 8 germinated, I have re sown so we'll see. Shhhhhhhhh I bought some already grown ones the other day though , just incase  I've been molly-coddling them so they will now get planted up, so thanks Jasmine and RM |
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Post by Jasmine on Mar 25, 2008 18:30:08 GMT
I know what you mean Plocket, they do look really delicate but mine were in a mini greenhouse from October when I planted them to last weekend so they must be made of sterner stuff than their appearance suggests. I don't think you or Chuckles are doing any molly-coddling... it is better to be safe than sorry! |
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Post by Plocket on Mar 25, 2008 18:44:53 GMT
I love sweetpeas but I never really bother with them because they end up looking so tired at the end of the season. I'm giving them another go though, albeit the cheats way of buying the babies. We chose Supersnoop and Cottage Garden. Supersnoop are supposed to be fairly short. I grew some trailing ones from seed a couple of years ago and wasn't too impressed with them. I hope you have more success than me Chuckles. I usually take the safe route Jasmine. These are only a few inches tall so I think they could do with a bit of protection  |
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Post by Jasmine on Mar 25, 2008 18:58:08 GMT
When I think of your cloche Plocket I keep thinking of sweetpeas with a kind of horticultural duvet! Keep them snuggled up...a little further north the weather was worse than ours this w/e...we were in Milton Keynes and could build a snowman and have a snowball fight - you couldn't do that in East Sussex according to my friends...there wasn't enough snow.
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Post by Biggles on Mar 25, 2008 19:37:52 GMT
I am so pleased someone started this thread. As mine haven't germinated yet I could hardly 'post' on the 2008 Trials for Sweetpeas!!
I have over the years been able to grow Sweetpeas from seed without any problem but this year (even though I did soak some and some I chitted there is no sign whatsoever after two weeks.
Oh--- I am wrong--a couple started to 'sprout' but then gave up the ghost.-
Any ideas of what went wrong please? They are on the kitchen window sill so no problem with temperatures.
Looks as though I will have to buy 'ready grown' ones from the GC.
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Post by Jasmine on Mar 25, 2008 20:28:23 GMT
I don't know Biggles but sweetpeas may be best off being grown in a cold frame or GH. I grew my sweetpeas outside from day 1. I did try indoors on the window sill one year but they got too leggy. This is not expert advice - I am from the good luck school of gardening - if it works I am thrilled - if it doesn't I plant some more, buy some from the GC or try something else! ;D
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Post by Chuckles on Mar 25, 2008 21:31:02 GMT
I sowed a load back in early November and they have just been in the unheated GH over winter, they really need planting out as they are now a good 10" high with the weather being so iffy and having other things to do I've sort of neglected them  Must get them planted out this week, most will go in pots and grow up some canes, I sometimes put them in with Clems that I have in pots. About a week ago I found some of last years saved seeds and a few from 2006, they are all now in loo rolls, will have loads to find space for in the garden but they are nice and I do like to pick a few for in the house. Bigs, mine sown in early February in my unheated GH took 19 days to germinate, I reckon its normally about 10-21 days so don't give up on them yet |
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Post by farmersboy on Mar 25, 2008 21:37:52 GMT
I don't know Biggles but sweetpeas may be best off being grown in a cold frame or GH. I grew my sweetpeas outside from day 1. I did try indoors on the window sill one year but they got too leggy. This is not expert advice - I am from the good luck school of gardening - if it works I am thrilled - if it doesn't I plant some more, buy some from the GC or try something else! ;D Agree with what you say jasmine,growing indoors,or where theres heat makes them weak and leggy,i think the best way to grow S P,is to sow straight into the ground,in Oct/Nov,with no cover,that way they get acclimatised to the weather getting colder,mine at the moment,are dark green,and strong,despite the frosts and snow. |
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Post by Biggles on Mar 25, 2008 21:47:43 GMT
FB--Will have to remember this advice for next year--(Sow in Oct/Nov.) but I am too late for that for this season so it looks like the GC ones for this year!
Chuckles--I think I am being impatient- like you said.-I have just had another 'look' at them and I can just see two 'white sprouts'--so they are germinating.--
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Post by farmersboy on Mar 25, 2008 22:02:07 GMT
Biggs, you can still sow straight into the ground now,they will just flower a bit later,
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Post by Biggles on Mar 25, 2008 22:07:57 GMT
Thanks FB for your advice--
I will do just that when the soil isn't frozen-and will add a handful of decent compost to get them going.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2008 10:32:13 GMT
Hope I'm not sticking my oar in here, but I have to ask if there is any point in Oct/Nov sowings of sweet peas? I did it the other year and found that by the time it got to Feb/March, the sweet peas were all straggly and intertwined and, basically a nightmare to try and separate. I ended up chucking them. This year I sowed three seeds per root-trainer and all have germinated in the space of a month and I've now had to remove the cover as they are up to about 4". I'm going to see if I can leave three shoots per root-trainer to see what happens.
Also, agree with Plocket, was very disappointed with the hanging basket sweet peas and shan't be bothering again.
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Post by Chuckles on Mar 26, 2008 11:34:52 GMT
Hope I'm not sticking my oar in here, but I have to ask if there is any point in Oct/Nov sowings of sweet peas? I did it the other year and found that by the time it got to Feb/March, the sweet peas were all straggly and intertwined and, basically a nightmare to try and separate. I ended up chucking them. This year I sowed three seeds per root-trainer and all have germinated in the space of a month and I've now had to remove the cover as they are up to about 4". I'm going to see if I can leave three shoots per root-trainer to see what happens. Also, agree with Plocket, was very disappointed with the hanging basket sweet peas and shan't be bothering again. I know what your'e saying DG and I guess it's swings and roundabouts. I've found it really depends on whether you can keep them in the right conditions until you can plant them out. Last year I thought the same as you tbo but this year but I'm well pleased with mine this year. I started them off on the 6/11 with a bit of warmth and as soon as they showed leaves I cooled them right down and made sure they always had plenty of light. Kept them in my unheated GH and then moved them to PK, they had days outside when the weather has been fit too and they've done really well. They are now 10 -12 " tall and slightly tangled but will be ok, I hope to plant them out this week. I have sown some more recently so hope for a long season of picking lovely scented SP's for the house As for the hanging basket ones it seems like Carolann and me are having the same experience gardenworld.proboards103.com/index.cgi?board=2008trials&action=display&thread=5221&page=1#149554 |
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Post by Weeterrier on Mar 26, 2008 12:51:53 GMT
I did a spring sowing this year, because I was too busy in the later part of last year. My tangled ones did well though. This year, they are only showing an inch so far, but I got 100% germination. Please God, don't give me the same success with my 120 tomatoes.  |
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Post by farmersboy on Mar 26, 2008 17:57:38 GMT
Hope I'm not sticking my oar in here, but I have to ask if there is any point in Oct/Nov sowings of sweet peas? I did it the other year and found that by the time it got to Feb/March, the sweet peas were all straggly and intertwined and, basically a nightmare to try and separate. I ended up chucking them. This year I sowed three seeds per root-trainer and all have germinated in the space of a month and I've now had to remove the cover as they are up to about 4". I'm going to see if I can leave three shoots per root-trainer to see what happens. Also, agree with Plocket, was very disappointed with the hanging basket sweet peas and shan't be bothering again. The reason i sow in the autumn,DG is that i find i get stronger plants,with bigger blooms,on longer stalks,but i bung mine straight into the ground,and forget about them,i should think that sowing in the autumn,in doors,they would need to be kept cool ,to stop them getting leggy and tangled |
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Post by Ladygardener on Mar 27, 2008 13:10:02 GMT
I have to say the ones I sowed outside in loo roll innards in the autumn are doing great, they've never been inside anywhere and it was lovely to see them germinate and grow during the winter months when most of the other plants were having their winter nap. ;D The spring sown ones germinated in a few weeks and seem to be doing fine.
I would say to Plocket it's probably a good idea to pinch out your shop ones as this might not have been done already and it will make them sturdy. ;D
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Post by Plocket on Mar 28, 2008 19:48:55 GMT
Will do - thanks LNG! |
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Post by Chuckles on Mar 31, 2008 8:22:49 GMT
Planted out my Cupani and Giant Waved Sweetpeas that I grew back end of last year yesterday. Planted them right outside the summer house doors so the perfume can drift in Hope to get all my others planted out today |
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Post by Plocket on Mar 31, 2008 8:43:08 GMT
I've moved my sweetpeas now. I thought I'd bought two pots of Supersnoop but it turns out I've got one and then a pot of Cottage Garden. I know they will be lovely but they will also be too tall for the bird feeder! I've moved them both (coz I only discovered my mistake after planting so don't know which plants are which!) into a large plant pot and have put canes and string up for them to climb. I've removed the cloches now too! |
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Post by purplejulia on Mar 31, 2008 23:11:21 GMT
Finally planted out my sweetpeas. Some of them have been in my mini greenhouse since October. They have survived being blown over in the storm a few months ago. I wanted to clear space for more seed sowing.  PJ |
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Post by Biggles on Jul 5, 2008 14:42:25 GMT
 My first bunch of Sweetpeas--the perfume is beautiful even for a vase of this size. |
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Post by purplejulia on Jul 5, 2008 16:27:49 GMT
Bigs - your sweetpeas are looking beautiful! I have two vasesful in my house and the perfume is divine. You will find more photos and posts on sweetpeas on 2008 trials in Garden Gallery.  PJ |
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Post by Biggles on Jul 5, 2008 17:52:30 GMT
Thanks PJ- -I didn't realize there was another sweetpea thread--I will have to 'use' that one instead of this thread . I wonder why there are two threads going for Sweetpeas? |
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I've been molly-coddling them so they will now get planted up, so thanks Jasmine and RM 
Must get them planted out this week, most will go in pots and grow up some canes, I sometimes put them in with Clems that I have in pots.
