How to grow sweet peas - a step by step guide
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- Here Laura takes us through a foolproof way of growing sweet peas from seed, giving a host of tips to ensure success.
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Brilliant instructions. Thanks!!
Thanks Paul, I know that there are several different ways to raise your sweet peas but I thought I would just share the method that works best for me
Easy to follow instructions. So many gardeners on UA-cam are sketchy and not that clear. Thank you. Off to get my dwarf sweet peas and plant around my obelisk.
Good luck Lorraine - and yes I wanted to show that I'm not one of those gardeners who tell you how you ought to do it without showing that it works!
Thank you for this detailed but concise instructions.Looking forward to growing some this year.
Good luck Diane - its a lot of fun!
The birds are incredible, love their song!
Yes and if you listen carefully you can hear my spaniel, Myrtle, barking in the background as she wants to come out and join me!
I did an experiment a couple of years ago that popping the pinched out tips into water I found that they rooted quite easily.
Thats a great tip Maureen! I've never done this and wouldn't have thought of it but your message so thank you very much for writing in. I'm definitely going to give it a go this spring.
Your sweet peas look wonderful! Thank you for sharing this ♥
Thanks, yes its always a red letter day when they finally start blooming !
3yrs in a row, mine failed. I always get them to germinate, but they just never thrive. Sooo...should I be mad that now I want to try again? freakin' sweet peas
Go on! Maybe try planting them in the ground this time rather than pots, which need a lot of watering. I grew some on my compost heap one year and they loved it and needed very little care apart from a once a week picking session.
As soon as the weather gets too warm they die. (Zone 5) That's been my experience. I gave up on them 30 yrs ago.
@@smorgasbroad1132 Well you've got a good point, they definitely don't like it too hot, mine really struggled when we had a heatwave and temperatures up to 40c, and they seem to flower well for for my sister in Scotland where the summers are cooler and wetter.
Nice to see the succession and the end results! Brilliant! Thank you for a very informative video❤
Thanks Mary - I thought I would show the process right through from beginning to end to show that it does really work - glad to hear its been helpful
What a wonderful, straightforward guide.
No arty farty nonsense - just the facts.
You have a new subscriber! 👌🏻
Loved this response! nothing arty farty ever going on here .....
I’ve been doing it all wrong, and it’s a wonder I ever get any plants. Basically, I just break up the soil, use a screwdriver to make a hole, and pop in the seed. From then on, I just water.
Well there are many different ways to grow sweet peas, if we sow directly into the soil in our garden a mouse usually comes along and eats the lot the first night! But it sounds like this isn't a problem for you, so planting directly into the soil would work fine but you may just have later flowering than the ones brought on earlier in the warm.
Can you give a tough timetable for this? I know it might vary a bit from area to area but a rough idea would be great, thanks
Hello Rosemary, in the video I was starting the sweet pea seeds off in our kitchen in early March, and got them planted outside in the middle of May, but its fine to vary this schedule by a good month or six weeks either side of this date. If you sow earlier it just means you have to look after them in a greenhouse for longer and if you sow later (any time up to early May would work I think) you will be moving them on through the various stages a bit more quickly. Later sown ones might be a bit later coming into flower, but that doesn't matter, you'll still have a good few months to enjoy them. Some people even sow them in the autumn and keep them over winter to be planted out the following spring - I think its a fairly moveable feast!
Lovely. I have always found sweet peas a challenge so this was v useful.
Yes they're not as easy as people think, I learnt more by trial and error (lots of errors!) before settling on this growing regime.
I really love your video and here are some reasons why. First of all, your garden is absolutely beautiful. I feel so doubtful when I watch a video and their flowers are all dying and they haven’t even cut their grass in about a month, lol. I’ve watched a lot of videos as this is my first year to really get into gardening. Your tip about filling the soil a couple of inches from the top so you can water it well enough was a great idea. I hadn’t thought of that yet. And I love your idea of using the sticks for the trellis! I have so many trees around here that I’m constantly trimming the branches off of. And not only is it a cheap solution. It also looks wonderful! Thank you for the good advice. I’m looking forward to watching more of your videos if you have more.❤
What a pity this is unwatchable because of the horrendous echo in the greenhouse. Could not finish video.
Thank you for the pinching tip and the detailed succession info for a proper start. I'm in Florida so I will be doing mine outside. My biggest problem is finding varieties that will be strong and stable for planting by the end of Feb so I can enjoy them from March to end of May. I try every year with mixed results, because I love their wonderful scent and the beautiful colors.
Rose thank you so much for leaving a comment - it must be amazing to be able to start them from scratch outdoors. I would have thought though that with shelter and regular watering they would have come on fine for you? Pinching them out definitely makes for sturdier plants so that might help. Very best wishes to you over the pond!
I watched your video and have started my sweet peas in a container...they sprouted...next step potting!
Brilliant - its exciting isn't it! Good luck with the next stage...
Wow! TY so much for the soaked towel and pinching tips! Will definitely try it next season. Yours are so lovely and healthy looking.
Thanks Melissa, gardening is such a great hobby isn't it because you learn something new every day!
Beautiful amaryllis plants in the back. My last few blooms only have days left. Tfs
Hello Mike, Yes they were fantastic - they were a variety called Red Pearl (sometimes advertised as Black Pearl too) which I first saw in the conservatory at Oxford Botanic Garden. I find that if I get them going in the kitchen then move them out to a just frost-free glasshouse they last for weeks.
Thanks for sharing. ❤
Useful tips.
This was really good. Thank you. I have never had much luck getting sweet peas to germinate, however I think my timing was all ways off before. In my area it should be just about right now and I am trying them again. I'll do as you suggest with germinating on wet paper, sealed in a box, in a warm place. Cheers!
Good luck Helen - its very rewarding!
Great advice and a wonderful video, thanks a lot!🙏
Thanks for the message!
I’ve always struggled with sweet peas and everything I’ve read says they don’t like to have their roots disturbed. But these don’t seem to have that problem. Is this variety specific or is everyone wrong that they should be direct sown to avoid disturbing the roots? Yours are amazing like every other flower I’ve seen grown in the U.K. 😊
Hello Diana, I always grow my sweet peas on in pots to start with no matter what variety. I've read that they don't like root disturbance too and if I had more than one plant in a single pot I would never try to separate them, I would just put the whole root system in the planting hole. Interestingly I am trialling growing them in Wool Pots this spring, where theres no need to tip them out at all, you just plant the whole Wool Pot in the ground and it disintegrates, allowing the roots to just grow through the wool and into the soil. If this works better than using a conventional plastic pot (which we all need to stop buying!) I'll post up a video and spread the word.
Wow 🤗 they look amazing 🌸🌸🌸👍 Thank you very much for these tips. I just found your channel and subscribed to it. I'm looking forward to watch your videos. Greetings Heidi 👩🌾💕
Thanks Heidi - hope you enjoy our films - you might like our weekly blog too - its completely free - just google The3Growbags.com and you'll find us.
Wow what a wonderful tutorial ❤ my sprouts are 6 in tall maybe I can harden them outside Thank u so much !
Its a pleasure to have been of help Celia - hope they're coming on nicely now!
Lovely sweet peas and a great video. Does your big deep pot have drainage? Or can we use any kind of deep pot?
Hi Fraser, yes the pots had drainage holes and I think you would struggle to keep them happy if they didn't have good drainage. You can also plant them directly into the soil, and that cuts down on the amount of watering you have to do
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Great video.
Thanks - its so nice to be appreciated!
I grew up in Scotland and it was very easy to grow sweet peas. Here in Canada not so much.
Yes sweet peas grow very well for my sister Caroline up in the highlands of Scotland inn their cool damp climate, I imagine your summers are a bit too hot for them in Canada
I had great luck with starting the seeds this way. Thank you!
Great news - its like a little bit of magic isn't it?!
I am located in the prairies in Canada, this is my first year trying to sow my own sweet peas. I have potted my seeds but I don’t have a greenhouse. Where should I store them? We are still getting lots of snow. We have lots of direct sun in my kitchen & bedroom , should i keep them near the windows?
Hello Cherie - glad to hear you are giving sweet peas a go! You need to find somewhere cool but bright for your young plants, like an unheated porch, and yes as close to a window as possible. Keep pinching the tips out to make them branch out and not get too straggly. If the temperature outside is even just a few degrees above freezing I would be standing them outside for a growing amount of time each day to toughen them up a bit ready for their final planting out. If spring is still a long way away I would also consider a second sowing so you have some more waiting in the wings if you first lot get a bit battered. Good luck!
@@the3growbags451 Thank you! That is very helpful!
Mine are indoors but look a bit leggy, should have put them in their own pots, just moved so space was an issue. ill try and move them asap, great to watch the videos, thank-you.
If they're a bit leggy I would nip the tips back and then start hardening off outside to toughen them up a bit before planting them out
@@the3growbags451 Thank-you, we will see how they go from here.
Every year my sweet peas get powdery mildew, do you think it's because they get too much sun? i always water well, thank you
Hello Jayne, yes mine often get powdery mildew, and I think it is the heat and the dryness that causes it. The problem that our summer temperatures always seem to soar at some point nowadays. I think growing them in the ground may help you, especially somewhere with good air circulation, I grew some on the corner of our compost heap last summer and they absolutely loved it there!
great recommendation thank you@@the3growbags451
I wish I'd seen this video 2 weeks ago, mine are in a module tray on a heatmat in the pop up greenhouse, hopefully if they ever germinate I can follow the rest of the advice!
Hope they came up and you've been able to grow them on successfully
Sadly out of 20 seeds planted I've only had 8 seedlings come up! Definitely a learning curve this year to get better next year!
I think we have the wrong soil for Sweet Peas (heavy clay soil). They seem to grow well in chalky soil judging by my visits to other parts of the country.
Hello Heliotrope, our soil is slightly acid and quite heavy but they still grow well for us. If you're growing them in the ground trying sowing or planting them into your compost heap. We grew some on the site of a previous compost last summer and they absolutely loved it - flowered until the end of September!
@@the3growbags451 Thanks for the advice.
Great little video , really enjoyed it 🎉
I enjoyed making it!
I would like to ask, when did you start the seed. What is the time to do it? 💚🐝🌻
Hello Bumblebee (lovely name!) in this video I was setting the seeds to germinate in very early March, planting them outside in mid May and they started flowering in late June. In other years I have germinated them in mid February, and I know people who germinate them in the autumn and overwinter the young plants in a greenhouse. It depends a little bit on where you live and how cold and long your winters are; the young plants will take a bit of harsh weather but not arctic conditions and won't really grow away strongly in the spring until the nights warm up. Hope this is helpful!
@@the3growbags451 hallo from Germany, thank you, that was helpfull. I love sweet peas.
Hi. Beautiful sweet peas. I would like to know, where do you put them while you wait for them to germinate? I am a bit confused. Do they stay in a cool and dark place or do they need light and heat? Thank you.
Hello there! Sorry I didnt make this clearer in the video, the sweet pea seeds need moisture and warmth to germinate so its best to keep the plastic container somewhere warm like a kitchen shelf until they have chitted, (i leave mine in the light) then move them to somewhere a bit cooler but bright like a greenhouse once they sprout their green seed leaves. @@lucerocarmona9926
@@the3growbags451 thank you so much. Now I know what to do. I was keeping them in the dark and very cold. 💖💚🤍
Lovely
Thanks for the info. I'm growing them for the first time this year
Good luck - its great fun!
Great tips!
Thanks Linda, glad you found it helpful
Do I need to do this now please?
Hi Louise, assuming you are in the UK, yes, now would be fine to start. I started mine a couples of weeks ago, but there is still plenty of time to get them going and have good strong plants by the end of May when they can go outside.
Im sorry just t.m.i.
It was quite detailed wasn't it, but I wanted to make sure people understood every step.
Thank you. I’m always learning even after decades of gardening. One added step I do is to add a couple seedlings of earlier flowering sweet peas to give a couple extra weeks of colour to my sweet pea pots….perhaps I’m an impatient gardener.
What a good idea Tom! I'm experimenting with six different cultivars this year so it will be interesting to see which of them starts flowering first..
Love the hanging tray to foil the mice! lol If you put the poles in the soil before planting out the plants, the roots won't get damaged by the insertion of the poled on them into the soil.
Thanks Beth thats a really good tip - we learn all the time in gardening dont we?
Love your simple directions, easy to follow Thank you!
Thanks Suzy, I hope you have a go this spring!
So nice to get to see how to grow sweet peas all the way from sprouting the seeds, to planting, potting up, to flowering. Thank you.
Thanks Bizzybee!
I love sweet peas!!
Excellent!
Thanks Margie!
Thank you so much for this very informative series on Sweet Peas! Well done & beautiful results!
Thanks Kristy, glad you enjoyed it and yes I was pleased with the results too!
They look beautiful…..thank you 🙏
Thanks Lynn, they really are the lovliest of flowers
I just directly put in the garden.
Hi there - yes this can work, but round here the soil doesn't warm up sufficiently for the pea seeds to germinate until quite late in the spring, but it would be good to mix the two methods to give a later flowering set of sweet peas when the early sown ones run out of steam. Thanks for writing in.
0:15 I was at a complete loss on how to sow these seeds my son and I purchased for Earth day. I thank you for the both of us 🫂🦋
Glad to have been of help Cynthia - hope they're coming on nicely now and you and your son can enjoy a summer of sweet pea blossoms and scent.