When to move sweet peas outside.

[Lamboluke]

When can I move January sown sweet peas outside? I've tried to research but it's confused the hell out of me. I'm aware I need to pinch out when they get to a certain height to encourage side shoots/bushyness but I canf work out if the risk of frost will kill them.
When can I move them out?
Outside or unheated greenhouse?

Thanks!

[Martin H]

You can move them into an unheated greenhouse now.

Mine were sown on Jan 16 and have now germinated; I don't want to keep them on the windowsill any more because they will grow tall and leggy with the warmth but not enough light. So I'm putting them in the greenhouse tomorrow.

The odd cold night won't hurt them and they'll carry on growing slowly until I'm ready to plant them out around Easter time.

Don't put them completely outside too early or they'll stop growing / get damaged by the wind / get eaten by pigeons.

[Bigmallly]

Mine have been in the unheated greenhouse for about a month now & are fine. Don't forget to nip the tops out when they get to around 6 leaves. The ones I sowed outside in October are also doing fine. I find they are quite hardy.

[Lamboluke]

Thanks for the replies and advice. I'll Bob them outside and find something else to fill the windowsill with.

[Bigmallly]

Tomatoes maybe?......................

[Lamboluke]

Toms and sprouts will be my next things to sow. Might leave it a couple of weeks before sowing though.

[Alison]

Too early for tomatoes but chillies would be a good bet

[NatalieCooke]

Should I already have sown my sweet pea by now!!

I picked up some beautiful seeds last year in the sale.

Statesman mixed & Erehon both Thompson & Morgan and basic pack of Horizon Mixed.

What else should I already have on the go??

[Martin H]

You can sow sweet peas in October, January, February or March. I like to start them early but you don't have to.

For the rest, read the packets

[NatalieCooke]

So it looks like i'll be sown sweet peas on Thursday!
Thanks!

[Bigmallly]

You could start Chillis & Peppers now followed by Tomatoes in Feb/March.

[ancee]

I sowed some outside in October. And they have been battered by every kind of extreme Weather snowed on and frozen. But bless em, they are still hanging on! Tough little blighters! I'm going to sow some this weekend in toilet roll tubes in polystyrene cups. What's this about pinching them out though? I usually let them do their own thing. What does it do? Is it worth doing?

[Martin H]

I always pinch them out. The sideshoots grow so much stronger than the main shoot. I do it whether I am letting them scramble up supports (leave all the sideshoots) or whether I am growing as cordons (keep only the strongest sideshoot).

Here's an example. In the plant on the left, the original shoot is now horizontal, it was pinched out after 4 or 5 leaves. There are now two strong sideshoots, much thicker than the original one. If I grow this one on as a cordon I'll just train up the bottom sideshoot which is currently growing vertically.

[Martin H]

My January ones will be sat in the greenhouse for a couple of months now. They are just coming through:



The October ones are getting a bit big but with the weather forecast as it is I can't put them outside:

[lottie dolly]

If you put the shoots you nip of,and put into water,you will get roots,pot up for more plants,