Sowing sweet peas

Sowing Sweet Peas

If we know we have a big event coming up in Spring, we will sometimes sow our sweet peas earlier in November or December. But generally, we will sow our seeds at the beginning of January.

If you sow your sweet peas early and are planning to go away for Christmas or New Year, then watch out because mice love sweet pea seeds. So if you know you have a greenhouse or outhouse that is likely to have little visitors, then sow them later when you can be around to keep an eye on your crop.

Sowing Your Sweet Pea Seeds

We always sow our sweet pea seeds into long root trainers as this helps to form stronger roots. The legume family, of which the sweet pea is a member, has a long root and if it is allowed to grow to its full capacity then it will produce lateral side shoots, which will make it even stronger.

Root trainers also have channels in them, which will direct the roots to the bottom of the pot so that they will grow vertically instead of spiralling.

Root trainers speed up the whole process of plant development and will grow at three or four times the speed of a sweet pea that has been put in a standard root tray.

I use one seed per root trainer cell and push them down so they are 2-3 cm deep and then cover the seeds with another layer of compost.

With adequate water and warmth, your seeds will germinate in around 10 days.

Pinching Out

As with other annuals, you want to pinch out the tip at the three leaf stage to prevent apical dominance.