Why can’t I grow sweet peas ??

So the first lot I sowed at the beginning last month, March. I followed the instructions on the packet and soaked them first as the packet said for about 8 hours planted them in modules kept them watered and nothing no germination I finally gave up and emptied the modules out & couldn’t see any seeds I assume they just rotted? So I tried again 3 weeks ago this time I bought root trainers & different compost, I watched Sarah Ravens video, she doesn’t soak them or water them, so I planted them as per her instructions in damp compost and still nothing. I prised out a couple today and one or two look like they are trying to grow but the rest were covered in blue grey mould. I covered them over again & will wait a bit longer but not holding out much hope.
Can anyone give me some advice on how to grow them, I’m thinking it’s getting a bit late now & that I should try again in the autumn but I’ll have to buy more as I’ve used up my 2 packets of seed.
I’m not impressed with the peat free compost the first lot seemed to dry out quickly and the second sowing I used a different one but even though marketed as for seed sowing still had lumps & sticks & bits of straw in it which I sifted out the best I could. They were kept in a little greenhouse, and no
Mice were in there so the first lot weren’t eaten as the compost wasn’t disturbed.

 

Sounds like over watering is a possibility . I just grow sweet peas in multipurpose compost 3 seeds to a 7cm pot or slightly bigger water either in a tray of water but over head watering is fine with sweet peas . Put them in a warm position windowsill with a lid or propagator and wait for germination , I rarely ever water pots again with seeds in until germination, so water once and wait and see . I don't use peat free compost for seeds or young plants its to unpredictable on what conditions its going to provide.

 

its not too late at all, still plenty of time. I soak peas overnight then put them 1.5cm down and cover so mice dont get them. then just somewhere warm and they should come up within a week or two

let those few survivors keep going even if half dont make it!

 

I've been having the same trouble this year, fresh sweet pea seeds and only a fraction are coming up. Completely different story with everlasting pea, given exactly the same treatment - every single one has grown!

 

I've had more problems when I've soaked them than when I haven't. I think it's the compost mix that is available now that isn't great for quite a lot of plants or needs so much getting used to, which is a problem because it's never consistent, that it's easier to just use normal garden soil on some things. The ones I have put in normal garden soil were up and away quite quickly.

 

Our tried and tested method is to pre-germinate the seed so you end up potting up a seed with its initial root / shoot.

Find any kind of plastic sealable container, eg small food box, line the base with a couple of layers of kitchen paper and then add some tepid water so the paper is fully soaked but not floating in water.

Place the seed onto the damp paper so they get fully wet, seal the container and place in an airing cupboard or similar for several days, checking each day and adding a little bit more water if some has dried out.
You should see some shoots coming out of the seeds and when they are around 10mm long pick them out and pot them into some compost just a few mm under the surface and water lightly with tepid water.

They should emerge from the compost in a day or two.

 

Me too I’ve soaked them, not soaked them all in root trainers and only 1 germinated. I think they have all rotted in an unheated greenhouse

 

Try a gritty mixture of sharp sand and compost, home grown or spent from last season. If you have a clay pot(unglazed flowerpot, place seeds around and in contact with the sides, 1 inch deep.
Water just once and place in warm but shady space. Move to good light once a few have emerged.

 

Well after years at "scratching" the seeds to open up the seed coat, gave up some years ago and germination has been brilliant each year. Then going against all advice I don't soak them and I sow about 10 seeds in one small pot. They are then (in this case started off in the garden room) watered and covered with some old small pieces of Perspex. Once germination has started the tops are removed and watering continues when the compost is very dry. They are then transplanted out (as they are now) into their growing area. They are doing very well. More seeds will be sown directly outside in the same area in a few weeks time to get a succession of flowering time. The seeds are from previous years that I have collected.

 

I dont really grow sweet peas but I do sow a fair amount of seed that has hard coating.
I often soak these overnight, but the ones that haven't swelled get the slight Knick with a knife or a file.
Having said that I think some people are selling pretty ancient seed.

Sowed 25 sweetcorn in propagator a couple of weeks ago and two have come up.

I think the seed trade needs a good kicking TBH, they date the packet but there is no knowing how old the seed was when they packed it.

 

I chit mine on kitchen towel in a plastic takeaway box. The ones that germinate then get planted into root trainers in the greenhouse, pinched out when 4 to 6 inches high.

 

Hmmm! I am planning to sow my sweetpeas and peas soon so I will be interested to see what happens. I cannot sow mine in the garden or in pots outside as mice take them as soon as the first shoot appears so I keep them on the window sill until the first pair of true leaves grow, then they are promoted to the conservatory until 4 pairs of leaves are well established, then they are big enough and tough enough to go outside, with plenty of slug pellets to ward off the zillions of slugs and snails living in the stone walls surrounding my patch. Sorry to those who disagree with using pellets.

 

Hello everyone and thank you for your replies ! I think as Perki said I may have over watered them at the start I’m finding this new peat free compost very tricky to keep consistently watered. Anyway the good news is after taking your advice I’ve just left them alone in the root trainers with the lid on so they don’t get eaten by mice, and yesterday I saw a few signs of life!! With little green shoots coming up! Only about 6 or 7 out of two packets (aprox 40) seeds in all but at least something is happening!

 

Some Sweet Pea seeds just take longer to germinate than others, often over a week+ between them so don't discard the no shows just yet.

Many of the peat free composts are not the best thing to sow seeds in, often only good for potting on larger plants and baskets etc.
You can still buy 50 ltr bags of Peat or fine milled lower peat composts like Jacks Magic in garden centers which are so much better for seed sowing.
Just depends on your view of the peat vs non peat debate.