Peas rotted again

[Marb67]

Well, yet again I have sown peas in the cold greenhouse in slightly damp compost in a polystyrene tray which has been getting warm sun in the daytime and still after a couple of weeks the peas have not shown, and on inspection they have rotted in the compost.

Second (and last) attempt I have sown some in the house. I used to have no problem with peas but these last couple of years its been disastrous.

[Thelma Sanders]

The soil should only be very slightly damp and don't water them again until they show.
I always start the first early ones somewhere indoors and move them outside when they show through. It doesn't have to be in a particularly warm or light place, mine were on the floor in the corner of the dining room, covered with a placcy bag to stop the cat investigating haha!
It just gives them a bit more protection from the frosty/cold nights we've been getting.

[bramble]

I soaked mine before planting them in modules in the greenhouse last week.
A lot of them have germinated.
I keep them pretty dry.

[Greenleaves]

As suggest Marb, treat them mean

[Scarlet]

Chit them in a Tupperware box in the kitchen first. Then once sprouted pot up into modules.

[smallblueplanet]

Sow ours in rootrainers and keep them inside until they've germinated - not that long, then put them outside but take them in if frost forecast.

[Mark_Riga]

For peas and beans, you should always save your own seeds for future years (be optimistic). They will give nearly 100% germination. They generally only keep for 2 seasons if stored properly and shops not always do. And they often relabel old seed packets. I went into the local garden centre a few weeks ago looking for sweet pepper seeds and some on a wrack, at the front, were relabelled (with a new price) but had a shorter 'bbe' life that packets further back.

[ameno]

I'd recommend sprouting them on kitchen roll first, then sowing once a root is showing.

I had similar problems last year, and I concluded that the seed I had bought was bacterially contaminated. You can tell because the seeds on damp tissue start to go slimy after just 2-3 days. If it were caused by bacteria in the air, it should take well over a week to reach that level. Going slimy that quickly can only mean that significant numbers of bacteria were dormant on the seeds themselves.

[Bren In Pots]

Chit them in a Tupperware box in the kitchen first. Then once sprouted pot up into modules.

I also chit my peas it means I don’t have any gaps once they’re popped into their guttering.

[Marb67]

Aaaaaaaaaaand yet again my next lot, kept in house have rotted in the compost that was only damp. Its impossible to grow peas from dry without rotting. I give up

[ameno]

It's the seeds. They're contaminated. Get fresh seeds, sow in fresh compost. Ideally, chit them on damp tissue first, so that you can then plant only the good ones.

[Marb67]

They are not contaminated. 2 different variety's, different shops. One last year from Wilko.

[Martin H]

Do what I do.

Put them on damp kitchen towel in a plastic bag on your desk. Give them a rinse every day to stop them going mouldy. When enough have sprouted to bother with, pot those up and leave the rest for a bit.

Here you can see a couple ready to plant, there should be a dozen or so by the morning so I'll stick them in modules tomorrow.

[SarrissUK]

If you're sure the seeds are ok, then in my mind, they must be too damp.

I've just sown a whole tray of just Leo peas and they really were on the wet side for a couple of days, and they're growing like mad.

[Marb67]

Well mine were not too wet in at a temp to germinate so I did everything correct but still they failed.