[Lesleyk]

I have grown sweet peas here successfully for many years, always from seed - starting in the greenhouse and then hardening off.  My crops have been lovely and lasted all summer long.  This year, however, started badly and seems to have got worse!  My first, second and third sowings of seeds were all eaten by mice, despite my increasingly ingenious ways to try and keep them out.  Finally I seem to have found a way to keep the little blighters out but my last sowing, which was way back on 9th March - has not germinated.  Not a sausage.  Is it now too late to sow again?  I've run out of seed in any case and I'm gutted as I had invested in some new, unusual varieties for this year.  Do I need to resort to buying plants for this year, and if so where is a good, mail order source to get them from?  And why, do you think, the germination failed?

[Yorkie]

I'm hoping to re-sow some sweet peas this weekend as I've had zilch success with one variety 

[Totty]

I sowed two packets a while ago, near on 100% germination with one lot! nothing from the other. May buy some extra plants this time.

Totty

[LilacSandy]

I always start them in a propagator and get 100% germination, dratted mice cannot lift the lid. 

[gobs]

I have 3 from a packet and had this problem last year too. We are landing on some other duff seed, are we?

[Lesleyk]

I always start them in a propagator and get 100% germination, dratted mice cannot lift the lid.

So, if I start again this weekend (I can buy cheap seed from the local Factory Shop) and use pots/tubes inside a propagator, there may be some success?  Or is it too late for seed this year?

[Goosegirl]

Mine have been in over a fortnight in the greenhouse and - nope - not a sign as yet. I think I will have a deeper furtle to see what's going on.

[Totty]

I'd just advise not getting the same seed that failed last time.

Totty

[Lesleyk]

Bought some new seed today locally - an Unwins variety called 'Old Fashioned Mix'.  We'll see.  I've noted all your advice and put some of the pots in a propagator in the greenhouse and the rest indoors on the windowsill.  I have never had failures before so the seed I bought this year was the same variety - with a few interesting looking newcomers - that I have always used.  Still not sure why they failed to germinate, especially as it wasn't just one variety that failed, but all of them!  Goosegirl, it sounds as if you are suffering in the same way?

[mumofstig]

Sweetpeas don't often fail 100%

Finally I seem to have found a way to keep the little blighters out but my last sowing

I wonder if it wasn't as successful as you thought.

Only saying this cos last year I had 100% failure in the greenhouse and complained to the supplier - they replaced them free of charge, but said their germination test showed 93% - so suggested mice were taking them or even birds if they were outside sowings.

I germinated the replacements indoors with complete success 

[Goosegirl]

Bought some new seed today locally - an Unwins variety called 'Old Fashioned Mix'.  We'll see.  I've noted all your advice and put some of the pots in a propagator in the greenhouse and the rest indoors on the windowsill.  I have never had failures before so the seed I bought this year was the same variety - with a few interesting looking newcomers - that I have always used.  Still not sure why they failed to germinate, especially as it wasn't just one variety that failed, but all of them!  Goosegirl, it sounds as if you are suffering in the same way?

Got mine from DTB who have always been a good company IMHO. No sign of any bitten stems or any disturbance on the surface of the pot, so no meeces. In the past I have nicked the seed coat, but haven't needed to do that in the last few years.

[madcat]

I chitted a packed of cheap Aldi sweetpeas and a pkt of Highly Perfumed ones from Kings at the same time, place and conditions.  The Aldi ones were off like a shot - I think there was only one that didnt go.  The ones from Kings didnt do a thing.  Nothing.     No idea why when the others were so good.  A second packet from Aldi started last weekend (to fill in for the King's ones) also romped away.

Problem is - the King's ones do smell so much sweeter ....  so I suppose I will try again next year!

[Goosegirl]

Mine have been in over a fortnight in the greenhouse and - nope - not a sign as yet. I think I will have a deeper furtle to see what's going on.

Having furtled, I've found one shoot just below the surface. It's difficult to tell seeds from compost though, but time will tell.

[Tracybutton]

This year I put my sweet pea seeds between some sheets of wet kitchen roll on a paper plate. I put the whole thing inside a large plastic sandwich bag and put them in the windowsill. After one week every seed had germinated, it's the best method I have ever tried.

[madcat]

This year I put my sweet pea seeds between some sheets of wet kitchen roll on a paper plate. I put the whole thing inside a large plastic sandwich bag and put them in the windowsill. After one week every seed had germinated, it's the best method I have ever tried.

That is how I do it too!