growing sweet peas

Hi, i'm quiet a new gardener and thought i'd try growing some sweet peas this year. I planted them two -three weeks ago in a propogator and they have already sprouted and grown to over 5-6" and are just forming the first set of side shoots. Is this normal, as they look quite spindly and weak, they are spencer varieties. Thanks

 

Sounds about par for the course, Steve.
All plants started early tend to be a bit spindly - there's not just quite enough light for them.
Give them as much light as possible and grow on in cool conditions. Sweet peas are tough stuff and I'm sure they'll get on fine. Hope you get a great show from them.

Talking of show - you might want to consider this if you haven't grown them before.
The conventional wisdom says you need to cut the flowers regularly to keep them flowering - ie don't let them go to seed. It can be a daily job.
I let mine flower as much as they want on the plants and go over them about once a week and take off the spent flowers before they seed. Seems logical to me.

 

Pinch out the growing tips to encourage the sideshoots to grow, this will give you nice bushy plants.

Steve...

 

They do grow tall, but 5"-6" in 2-3 weeks sounds like they are not getting enough light.

If they are on a windowsill put some tinfoil, or an old mirror, behind them so they get some extra reflected light, They don;t neeed a lot of heat, so they will be happy in an unheated conservatory / greenhouse (although acclimatise them by bringing them back in for the night for the first week or so)

 

hi stevethescot - I too have just got some sweet peas newly sprouting. Forgot to put them in before christmas like i normally do! However past experience has taught me that they will catch up and become stonger as the days get better. But they do look a bit spindly at the moment!
They do like to be cool...harden them off gradually, in a couple of weeks mine will be out in a cold frame having had their tops pinched out.:thumb:
I love sweet peas - great scents, great colours and you have to pick them so they are nice indoors too .....but even better you can gather their seeds for next year!! Leave the last few flowers at the end of the summer to go to seed, let the pods go dry/brown on the plants and then harvest!
Jen