Sweet Pea Germination

[Hillwalker]

I've just bought a load of sweet peas and was thinking of germinating them, folded in a damp paper towel and placed in a gripper bag. Has anyone had any success with this method?

[Nicos]

Hi there- I've moved your post so more peeps will see it!

[Hillwalker]

Thanks Nicos.

[bearded bloke]

I did mine in in a bowl with some water in the bottom

[Alison]

I just shoved mine in damp compost in root trainers and left them in the conservatory for a few days to germinate. Got 100% germination and moved them out to the greenhouse to grow on for a bit before I plant them out. Have pinched them back now to make bushier plants and they're looking great.

[binley100]

I did wot she ^^^ did, only put three in a pot.....Usually use loo roll middles. Mine have been in an open blowaway for a few weeks now and bushing out nicely .....

[Madame Mucksprout]

I just popped mine in the toilet roll middles (filled with compost obviously) and left them on the window sill - 100% germination. Im really pleased

[taff]

put mine in trays in compost, also 100% germination.

Re the pinching out...at what point do you pinch out? I've never grown them before.

[Kristen]

I pinch out after they have got about 3 pairs of leaves.

[Two_Sheds]

I'm not as disciplined as Kristen, so I pinch out the growing tip when the plants start looking straggly

Mine went out on the plot at the weekend, and another lot will go out tomorrow

[Kristen]

disciplined? You're definitely thinking of someone else! I have all mine in newspaper-pots, altogether in the greenhouse, so once they all get "big enough" I can pinch out the whole lot in one session. So I do it when I remember, and when they are big enough

Perhaps you could do it as you plant out? I guess they would be past 3-leaf-pair stage by then?

I wish I had done that with the 1,500 hedge plants I put in earlier in the year ... been going round with the secateurs cutting off the top bud, which is giving me an aching back! Would have been SO easy whilst the plants were still in bundles in the shed ...

[perkin]

I've struggled with sweet pea germination in previous years, but this year they were nicked with a knife, soaked in water overnight and then sowed in pots that went straight into the greenhouse . Germination is pretty good so far and the pots are now outside. Thanks for the tip on pinching out - will do that when they're a bit bigger.

[Flummery]

I soak overnight then plant in pots. Put some out already. I pinch out when they are 4-6" high. I don't find them hard to germinate. I remember doing all the business with a knife or sandpaper years ago. I don't bother now.

[chris]

Do they attract bees or something? They seem very popular? Forgive my bluntness, but are they just flowers? (flower newbie!) Or do they have some other use?

[Aberdeenplotter]

Chris, they are one of the nicest perfumed plants you can grow and visually attractive as well.