Sweetpea Advice Please

MrsFoxglove

Evening all 

I've just sown some sweetpeas-my first time doing so and I just wanted to know if I could get away with overwintering them in my zip up "greenhouse" or should I purchase a Cold frame? 

I don't mind buying a cold frame but if I don't absolutely need to I'll hold off. 

Thanks kindly x 

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Fairygirl

The  zippy ones are a bit useless, but, as scroggin says, they only need protection from rough weather.

Keep them pinched out over the winter to keep them bushy. It is a bit too early for sowing though 

MrsFoxglove

Thank you  I just went by what it said on the packet and that was mid September to October 

I've done loads so hopefully some will be good by the end ha ha 

My pathetic little zippy jobby is in a little court heard out bs k so quite sheltered but maybe I'll get a frame to be on the safe side 

X

Nanny Beach

My sweet pea book says treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen, keep them as cold as possible. if you buy plants they are sold in March, with wstill plenty of frosts to contend with.  I have given up sowing mine in autumn, just because i have no room, cold frame is full of seedlings, I did try an unheated greenhouse, once found they grew too fast too soo and got very "leggy".You dont nee to spend money on a coldframe for them MrsFox

MrsFoxglove

Thanks Nanny Beach

I'll have to put them somewhere though as they're currently overtaking my kitchen surfaces 

Dovefromabove

Get  them outside now before the weather gets cold so the sudden change from inside to outside doesn't shock them.

Put them in the courtyard against a wall ... just stand  them in a seedtray half full of gravel so that they drain well in the rain.

An old window (from a skip?) or similar to prop against the wall over them, leaving the sides free for good air flow is all the protection they need.

Don't forget to pinch out the tips when they're 6-8" tall. 

Buttercupdays

And make sure the mice can't get to them - I lost most of mine to the little blighters this year!

MrsFoxglove

Thanks for all the advice gang

Dovefromabove should I be putting them out before they've even germinated? I thought they needed warmth to germinate well? 

Funny you saying about the skip as we just drove passed one and I made hubby stop so we could raid it but it only had huge glass doors so a bit too big for the space I have unfortunately. 

Can I also ask what I do once they do begin to grow as I've sown 5 seeds to a pot. Do I leave them be to grow where they are or do I separate them? I've got little canes to give them support once they do start growing so they don't become a tangle will this be ok? 

Sorry to hear the mice got yours Buttercup, little gits 

X

Nanny Beach

Yes Dove, ours was the wooden single gladed bathroom window, soon after it was replaced lol.my book says dont pinch them out. MrsFox, leave them be, they hate root disturbance,I grow mine in root trainers, or tubes. Will they tangle probably, the only way round that is to grow each one singly up a cane. Never had the mouse nicking the sweet peas, it was too busy pinching the edible peas and sun flower seeds. You could lay a piece of greenhouse glass over the pots till the seeds germinate.As you have put 5 seeds in a pot ho big is the pot?

MrsFoxglove

They're about 4 inches across Nanny Beach. 

I watched a video on YouTube and the lady was sowing the same amount in slightly smaller pots so I thought these would be fine 

I've done about 100 seeds so surely some have got to be a success  ha ha 

I think I'll do some more in the root trainers in spring as I'm now very nervous about this batch! ha ha