[Lupin lurcher]

The sun has got his hat on,
Hip Hip Horray,
The sun has got his hat on
and my sweet peas came out today.
 

[Trillium]

I get quite a few of my sweet peas through Sutton seeds. They don't have all available varieties, but they have a good number.

[Jamie Butterworth]

I sowed about 12 sweet peas in toilet roll tubes and they came through today after 3 weeks of worrying 

[Stree]

Mine are doing well to say they are outside. 50 showing now.........
I have heard it can help plants if you play music....... So seeing is they are in toilet tubes, maybe Lou Rawls, or the Izal Brothers?

[mumofstig]

groan groan 

[Lupin lurcher]

Thanks Trillium will have a look.  Stree you better not play anthing by the Black Eyed Peas, you may get the wrong type of pea 

[Slowgrind]

Mine too!!!!!! 

[Sweet-Pea]

LL~
Your sweet peas will take anything from two weeks onwards to germinate, depending on the prevailing conditions. It has to be said that some varieties are quicker than others though (there's a suprising amount of variation in the size, uniformity, hardness etc of the different seeds).

Opinions vary as to whether or not 'chitting' the seed is necessary. My personal opinion is that it doesn't seem to do any harm, but I'm not convinced it's always necessary.

Fingers crossed!

[Lupin lurcher]

Thanks Sweet Pea, they are up and running now.  I have just ordered some called sweetie they are the type you grow in hanging baskets, I thought I may give that ago, they will hopefully look lovely against my shed down the lotty.  I have a 6ft x 6ft trilis which I am growing the grow the ones that have statred shooting.  Can`t wait.  Love them.  Regards Mandy.

[Jamie Butterworth]

The sweet peas are growing stron now, ive heared people say to pinch off the top the plant but is it tooo early to do this, when should it be done?

[1st time veg grower]

I was told to do it when my seedlings had two sets of 'true' leaves and to pinch out the growing point. Mine reached that point about 10 days ago, and since I've done it have really started to bush out. Hope that helps.

[joyce c]

I have about 2 doz Sweet peas in my cold frame, they are really strong and healthy, standing at about 6" to 8".I have nipped the tops about 3 times.  As I live in the North, do you think I should keep them in the cold frame a while longer, or would they be able to go out into their final positions. Bearing in mind we could still get frost and snow. Also someone bought me some sweet peas from a garden centre, there's about 10 in a 3" pot. How should I care for them.?

[Paul Plots]

Joyce I think I would stick the garden centre sweet-peas in with the others in the cold-frame just to make sure they are happy being outside.. keep it ventilated / open.

As for putting the lot out on the plot.... whenever you decide to go for it make sure the weather wont give them too much of a battering before they get established in their final growing positions - then keep them watered well but not drowned.

You could try a bit of cover (couple of sheets of polycarbonate) over them for a few days if it is not too warm and bright (fat chance  of that!)

Best of luck 

[joyce c]

Thanks for your swift reply.  Should I leave all the 10 bought seedlings (about 3") in the 3" pot until I transfer to final position, or should I pot them onto bigger/deeper containers.
I've just obtained a greenhouse (whoo hoo) and raring to go. So you'll be seeing my postings all over this site   

[Kristen]

If I've understood you correctly you have about 10 seedlings in a 3" pot?

if so you should split them up and plant them one-per-pot so they can grow on in their own pot / space, and then you will have 10 separate plants that won't be disturbed when you plant them out.

(I spend far too long when buying Sweet Pea seedlings counting the number of plants-per-pot and buying the pots with the most in!)