Planting out sweet pea seedlings

Planting Out Sweet Pea Seedlings

I am going to plant eight sweet peas around my new structure. I am only doing eight because I have very strong plants, which will be up to the job of covering my teepee structure.

The varieties I am planting are:

• Sweet pea 'Judith Wilkinson'
• Sweet pea 'Emilia Fox'

Once our sweet pea plants have filled the root trainers, we plant them into one-litre pots. All you need to ensure is that the pot you use is deep so there is adequate room for the roots.

If you add too many plants to the base of your teepee then they will become matted and heavy and may topple your teepee structure.

Despite the delicate appearance of the flowers, sweet peas are very hardy plants and they can even survive snow and frost. They also like to establish their roots in cold, wet soil, so if you wait until late spring or early summer to plant them out they won't be as productive.

Getting the Seedlings in the Ground

• Dig holes around the base of your sweet pea teepee
• Fill each hole with some compost which will feed your sweet pea plant and help with water retention
• Remove your plants from their pots and pop them into the holes
• Firm in each plant
• If your plants are a little further away from your frame, just tie them onto the base of the teepee when they are the right height and that is probably all you will need to do
• If you are growing several different varieties around your teepee, then always put the label back in by each individual plant so you know which one is which

Watering and Feeding the Sweet Peas

• If no rain is forecast, then water each of your plants with around a quarter of a watering can full of water
• We then feed our plants every two weeks with comfrey pellets dissolved in water, or if you have the space you can make your own comfrey tea

Comfrey Tea Recipe

• Cut your comfrey leaves 2-3 times per year and add to a barrel of water
• Leave to sit for 10 days to 2 weeks
• Dilute some of the liquid to 1 part comfrey and 10 parts water in a watering can and use as a feed on your plants every two weeks

Pest and Diseases

Thankfully slugs and snails don't seem to like sweet peas very much so you shouldn't have much of an issue with them.

However, in a dry year, your plants may suffer from mildew. The best way to prevent this is to plant them with compost, help them to form strong roots in root trainers, and keep them fed and watered.

The other pest they may suffer from is pollen beetle, which is a type of beetle that eats the pollen out of a flower. The easiest way to deal with them is to leave your freshly picked blooms by an open window and they will be attracted to the light in the morning and fly off. A little shake should help to get rid of any other strays.