Need Advise Sweet Peas & Alpine Strawberries

Greetings All,

I planted alpine strawberry seeds about one month ago. I didn't have any sand so I spread them as evenly as I could in a chicken rotisserie container. I covered them and voila they came up beautifully.
Problem is that I'm pretty sure they are now ready to go into (still small) individual pots. But because of their spacing I don't know how to get them out. The day I planted them I thought I had bookmarked a website showing how to "prick out" them out. Now I can't find the website.

Anyone with bright ideas or experience with "pricking out"

I started my sweet peas inside (I rent a garden space and knew I wouldn't be able to get it tilled and ready early and etc.,) Now the sweet peas are growing and I recall reading that pinching them at a certain stage will cause them to bush out. (Another lost website:)

Thanks Much for Your Help!
Cheers!
Marlene

Can't help you with the strawberries, but as far as your sweet peas are concerned, here's how I've done it for years: I pinch them when I see the first tendrils forming...which is usually after they've developed 3 sets of leaves. You'll see the beginnings of the tendrils very plainly.

If I've started a lot of seeds, sometimes I don't even bother piching them. I just plant them closer together and they fill in faster, too. I'm assuming you started yours in containers or 6 packs. (???) If so, be careful when you plant them not to disturb their roots...that seems to "set them back" a few weeks.

Thanks JasperDale,

I thought I saw a small tendril forming on one of these. I will definitely pinch. (I don't have a bunch of seedlings).
Actually, I started some in these long "root trainers" ; for others, I experimented with filing a peat pot; then setting jiffy peat disk on top and setting the seed in the disk. What has happened is that the roots have a deeper place to grow. The root trainers work best but, I decided not to buy more this year.
I see you live in California. Have you ever tried the "heat tolerant" sweet pea varietis?

Cheers!
Marlene

I did try the supposed "heat tolerant" varieties once, and they fried anyway...so I never attempted them again. Given how delicate and thin the petals on sweet peas are, they just don't withstand 85* plus temperatures. Now I only grow the spring flowering ones.

JasperDale,
Do you think its OK to pinch them after the first tendrils appear? I ask cause some of these have gotten quite long already.

Yes. (How long is "quite long" ???)
If you pich them back, leave at least 3 sets of leaves.

JasperDale,

Long in this case is about 6 inches. These long ones have about 8 leaves each.
Still hope for pinching:) ?
M