Sweet pea question

Discussion in 'NEW Gardeners !' started by Florabritannica, Feb 5, 2017.

  1. Florabritannica

    Florabritannica Apprentice Gardener

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    After the incredibly helpful replies to my tomato query, I thought I'd venture one on sweet peas.
    I have some sweet peas in roottrainers in a cold frame which I sowed in the autumn and are looking happy.
    I've read about pinching out the growing tips. Should I do this, and when? And - I know this sounds daft - how?
    When should I pot them on? And when should I move them out of the cold frame?
    I realise these are embarrassingly basic questions...
     
  2. NigelJ

    NigelJ Total Gardener

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    My autumn sown sweetpeas are in roottrainers in the greenhouse. They will get hardened off end of February, depending on weather and then planted into their final positions in March.
    I pinch the tips out of mine when they are about 4" high. This encourages them to sprout from lower down resulting in a bushier plant. People who grow for competition do not pinch the tips out as they want the plant to put all its effort into the one shoot
     
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    • Florabritannica

      Florabritannica Apprentice Gardener

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      Thank you - this is really helpful. So do you keep them in the roottrainers until you plant them in the ground?
       
    • HarryS

      HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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      I also pinch my SP's out. I follow the gurus advice and pinch them out above the fourth set of leaves . Not a clue why they prefer the fourth set :scratch: I am just about to soak and sow my SP seeds today :blue thumb:
      Nice little you tube video on SP growing from T and M ..................
       
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      • Florabritannica

        Florabritannica Apprentice Gardener

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        Great video! Thank you so much for the advice.
         
      • NigelJ

        NigelJ Total Gardener

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        Yes; my sweetpeas will stay in the roottrainers until I plant them into their final positions.
         
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        • john558

          john558 Total Gardener

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          Hi folks, as you can see I keep pinching out the tops of my S/P grown under grow lights. Also trying a few leaks. All are fed with a weak solution of Wiko's Growmore.
           

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          • Florabritannica

            Florabritannica Apprentice Gardener

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            Wow that looks pretty ruthless.
            I am minded to leave mine alone until the weather gets a bit warmer. Is this sensible? They are in a grow house which I am keeping as cold as possible for the sake of the auriculas.
             
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            • john558

              john558 Total Gardener

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              Hi Florabritannica, Well they were looking a bit leggy so I thought I'd give them a hair cut:spinning:
               
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