So having collected my sweet pea seeds a few weeks back, I thought I would sow a few on this blisteringly hot September day.
I am using only some of my seeds, so I have plenty left to sow in March/April next year, however sowing during September to November should give me some tougher and earlier flowering plants.
My potting table consists of a potting tray, some 3 or 4 inch terracotta pots (plastic will do just fine), some compost, sweet pea seeds, labels and Maisie the cat (cat not essential).
First of all fill the pots loosely with your chosen compost. In this case I am using John Innes No.1 with some additional gravel mixed in.
Leave a good inch or so at the top and don’t feel the need to compact the compost. Just leave it loose.
Pop one, two or even three sweet pea seeds onto the top of the compost in each pot.
Then give each seed a little poke down into the compost. Just half an inch or so.
Now cover the seeds gently with some loose compost, remembering to leave a watering space at the top.
Don’t forget to label each pot.
Now put each pot into a tray of water and let it sit there and soak up the water. I prefer this method to a watering when sowing seeds as it saves disturbing the loose compost.
Finally, place the pots in a coldframe or an unheated greenhouse to allow plants to harden. Some heat may be required initially to permit germination.
The plants may need covering on particularly cold nights.
I would suggest planting out the sweet pea plants in March and April, depending upon weather conditions.
You can sow sweet pea seeds directly outdoors in their final growing position from March to May.
Here’s looking forward to some wonderful sweet pea blooms like this, come the spring.
