[rhysdad]

popped down the plot this morning to give it a drink before work and noticed the guy across from me (strange chap actually) has already got his runners in!! I've missed the boat i think!!  Anyway, my real query is sweet peas. Every year i forget them. It now says i can sow direct but starting them off in pots now will be okay won't it? It's just that i'm not exactly sure where everything is going to be finally spaced so potted peas are what i need. Help!!

[JayG]

Frost will kill runner beans and even in West Kent your allotment pal is taking a huge risk, although if he gets away with it he will no doubt enjoy telling everyone that's the proper way to do it!

It's just not worth the risk; they will sulk in low temperatures even if it's not actually cold enough to kill them.

Sweet peas are much hardier once suitably hardened off although it's obviously best to avoid planting them out in a very cold spell if possible.

[rhysdad]

Frost will kill runner beans and even in West Kent your allotment pal is taking a huge risk, although if he gets away with it he will no doubt enjoy telling everyone that's the proper way to do it!

It's just not worth the risk; they will sulk in low temperatures even if it's not actually cold enough to kill them.

Sweet peas are much hardier once suitably hardened off although it's obviously best to avoid planting them out in a very cold spell if possible.

Thanks JayG so pot planted sweet peas are still okay to do now?

[JayG]

Yes!

(I used to sow mine directly into the soil in March until I found somewhere selling a choice of seedlings for 99p per pot; bought some yesterday!) 

[shokkyy]

I've actually found that my sweet peas seem to do better if I sow them in modules directly in my very cold greenhouse, rather than starting them off inside. They seem to need the colder conditions. When I used to try starting them inside I always had very poor germination, but if I just chuck them in the greenhouse and ignore them they seem to germinate much better. And that's great because it means they're not taking up windowsill space in the house and I don't have the faff of having to harden them off. I sowed one tray full on 6th March, now looking strong and healthy, and a second tray full on 3rd April, just coming up.

[Aunt Sally]

I agree with JayG.  Far too early for runner beans in Kent. 

I sometimes take a risk and plant them out about mid May.

[chrisnchris]

As the title suggests..........can I grow sweet peas in with my runners?
I think I need to attract more bees

There was a frost this morning @ 03.30 ice on my windscreen Fleet, North Hampshire

[Aunt Sally]

I generally grow them together.

[Rampant_Weasel]

i direct sow mine on the 14th may as my grandad used to.

[Goosegirl]

I always plant sweet peas on the other side of my runner bean support. I can't do without them but I don't plant them next to my peas as I think they can cross-pollinate.

[mumofstig]

peas are self fertile, and pollinate inside the blossom, so it is extremely rare for crosspollination to take place