I think my sweet peas have sunscald - what to do?

Catie

Hi All, I stupidly transplated some new sweet peas into my sweet pea patch the other day. It was around 4pm but the sun was still bright and warm. I watered them all in quite vigorously and now a lot of them are turning papery white. Even the well established ones that I planted in there a few weeks ago are turning white. I suspect it's sun scald. Should I throw these plants out? Have they had it? Is sun scald something that might spread to the other healthier plants? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Ps is there a forum app I could download onto my iPhone? I'm trying to post a photo but it won't let me upload one from my phone. Cate

nutcutlet

I don't think the April sun in the uk is strong enough to damage a sweetpea Catie.

There's a growing sweet peas thread on the forum

http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/the-potting-shed/growing-sweet-peas/6143.html

Have a look through that and if your question isn't answered already ask on there and I'm sure David will 

Dovefromabove

The weatherman on R4 just now said that the sun is as strong in April as it is in August - not here this afternoon it isn't, but I know what he means.

The problem might have been caused by strong sunlight if the leaves were wet - it's good to water the soil rather than the plant itself. 

fidgetbones

Did you harden them off first or did they go straight from a greenhouse to final position?. I suspect cold or wind on tender leaves would be more damaging than sun at this time of year.

nutcutlet

We've had 2 frost this week, that's hard for a young plant after all the mild weather

Welshonion

Don't throw them out until you have given them time to recover.  If they need protection put a sheet of newspaper over them.  Frost at this time of year always comes on windless nights.

Catie

I think you're right, I was out the other night and it was such a clear beautiful evening but I noticed a few glittery twinkles on the pavement, so yes we have had a frost. And they were only very young plants. They had been hardened off but only for a week or so out of the greenhouse. Perhaps they weren't equipped to deal with the frost. Shall I leave then and see what happens? I was just concerned that they might have some sort of disease that could be passed onto my more sturdier autumn sown sweet peas.



Either way, sun scald or frost, do you think they will recover and grow on?



Catie

Busy Bee2

My sweet peas in previous years have gone like this, and you think you've lost them, and then all of a sudden a vigorous load of growth happens once the roots are happy and they go mad.  They always sulk.  I put upside down plastic bottle cut offs on them to give them a chance to settle in without interference and some frost protection.  I agree, even if you think they've had it, don't write the death certificate out until the end of May, by which time you will (probably) have had a nice surprise.  White leaves seem quite common when plants go out into the big wide world, but then they suddenly push forward from the centre and do really well. 

Catie

Thanks Busy bee, sounds promising, I shall leave them

Cate