Planting out sweet peas

[LOTTYPOTTY]

I sowed numerous sweet peas seeds earlier this year which are now about 8" tall and very healthy. However, I'm a bit confused as to when to plant them out as on the seed packets it says to do it after the last frosts but forum users have listed that planting sweet pea seeds out as one of their tasks done today. My plants have been in my greenhouse for a few weeks now and have survived some rather chilly nights.

[kentvegplot]

Sweet peas are hardy, so plant them out when you can. Probably best to get them used to a big change in temperature, so maybe a week of hardening off first - put them out during the day and bring them in at night. Good luck with them - mine aren't big enough yet.

[Kristen]

If you haven't already done so you may want to pinch them out - after about the 3rd leaf pair - to encourage them to bush out.

[jojo2910]

I think I pinch out tht tip on a few of mine before 3 pairs of leaves? Will this matter?

Jo

[Kristen]

You need to leave a few leaves because the buds for the side shoots form where the leaf stalks join to the stem. But other than that it won't hurt, you just won't get quite so many side shoots.

Sweet Peas tend to produce much stronger side shoots than the main growing shoot, its a slightly strange phenomenon! from the side shoots you get one or two strong shoots and some weaker ones. I grow mine as cordons, so I only want a single stem growing, but I pinch out and then select the strongest side shoot when I plant out (or a bit later).

[jojo2910]

Kristen, many thanks. I've got a second batch starting to germinate, so I shall make sure I leave a few to grow taller. You sound like a sweet pea expert.

[Kristen]

You sound like a sweet pea expert.

That's worrying!

[jojo2910]

That's worrying!

Not in the slighest. Highest respect due.

[bramble]

My Sweet Peas are now one week planted outdoors and appear to be doing well. So far, so good. They look a lot greener now they are in the open ground as they were outgrowing their containers.

[rana]

As with Bramble my sweet peas went out a week ago. However by far the strongest sweet peas in the border are those that self seeded in situ and survived the December cold.

[Alison]

Mine aren't planted out yet but are fully hardened off in root trainers in the garden. They'll hopefully go in over Easter when I finish preparing my bean wigwams which always have a couple of sweet peas up one leg as it looks so lovely.

[Bren In Pots]

Mines outside and have been for a week now but like Alison I need to sort out their home first.