Sweet pea

spookess

Hi 👋 
On GW last episode, Monty sowed some sweet peas and he did so straight from the packet. 
I actually have some that can also be sown now, which rarely happens with things he sows 🤣, but the pack says to soak the seeds in water for 24hrs before sowing which Monty didn't do?
I havent grown these before so not sure if soaking them was a hard and fast rule?
Thanks 😊 

Fairygirl

I've never done it, and I've been growing them for decades..
They need to be kept on the damp side anyway, so it isn't needed. 

Mary370

Same here, I've never soaked them, successfully growing them for years.

BenCotto

Soak/don’t soak - it really doesn’t matter.

You might find this article interesting
https://sweetpeagardens.com/blog/should-you-soak-sweet-pea-seeds

In the comments section there is discussion of putting the seeds on damp kitchen paper in a plastic bag for a few days so that’s a third option for you. Plus there’s a fourth: making a small nick in the seed case, a process called chitting.

Some people say the dark coloured seeds are slightly harder to germinate so keep a note of which pots have which coloured/named seeds. Sow them the standard way but if some fail to germinate you’ll know which ones and can try them again using one of the alternative methods.

spookess

Thanks everyone ☺ I can always rely on this forum for help (which I need quite often being a newbie! - look out for my post on spring bulbs coming shortly 🤣) 

Fairygirl

The 'nicking' them is a bit outdated now too. All these methods were advised simply because the outer coating of the seed is quite tough, but again - it mostly comes down to how pots or beds are prepared for sowing, and the aftercare,  and it's not really necessary to go to a lot of bother. 
If you buy good quality seed, from a reputable supplier, germination will always be good, unless there are other factors at play - ie mice or completely unsuitable growing mediums etc.