Sweet Peas Suiciding

I can't seem to get sweet peas to grow. Out of 30 seeds I planted only one has come up. The rest composted themselves.

I nicked the seeds, soaked them over night in warm water then planted them. Can someone who grows them tell me what I might be doing wrong?

Thanks!

Xeramtheum

Hi X,

I left my seeds in the water, after being nicked, until I could see them starting to produce the little root. Only then did I plant/sow then seed. I had the same as you happening, and decided to make sure that they actually are willing to grow before getting my hopes up. Just love their fragrance in Spring....

Good luck,
E

OH>>THANKS Elsa..
I'd not been real successful with them either.. I'llgive them a tryagain though..with new information.. I love them also..heavenly fragrance .. Gordon

Elsa is right. thats how i do mine

Yes indeed, thanks! I'm glad I didn't plant all I had, I'll try again!

X

X, if you need more seeds let me know

Thanks!

X

Well..If I was going to tryI'd need seeds...what color..maybe color isn't my main thought...if it was just a real fragerant KNOCKOUT...
So.. then I found this specialty Sweet Pea site..plenty to choose from..and they have a picoteed one..and lots of culture thoughts..
cooler sprouting than I might have given here under culture
http://www.fragrantgarden.com/culture.htm
Gordon

Gordon Hawk, I think you've nailed it when you mention temperature. After some years of trial and error I learned that, here in zone 5a, I must always start my sweet peas on the last day of March. I simply soak them for a couple of days and then direct seed them; but I also buy them from a company that nicks them (Johnny's Selected Seeds). Going to Weather Underground's history section, I find that the temperature at that time of year here is about 45 degrees. I always use the heat tolerant kind (Mammoth). I find that if I wait until later in the year it is too warm. I just looked up the temperatures in Summerville, SC and I think it's quite a bit warmer than the temps here that are successful. So perhaps it is that the weather is too hot. I always bear in mind that England, with its more moderated temperatures, is where sweet peas are grown with the most success.

Donna

This message was edited Jan 11, 2008 11:23 AM

Has anyone grown sweetpeas in northern Virginia successfully; I have tried several times, but just they start blooming the weather becomes too hot; I love these flowers, they remind me of England where I grew up.

thanks for any advice
Naz

I grew them when I lived in Claremont, Virginia .. but as you said, it got too hot for them .. it has been suggested for hot areas to grow them in the fall.

X

My sweetpeas "volunteer" - I just let the seeds fall where they may, then, they sprout in the fall when the weather turns cooler. They grow over the winter, & viola - I have sweet peas in the spring! Talk about a LAZY gardener!

Graceful,

Lucky you! I have to start new ones every year! I soaked them at the end of March (COLD HERE!) and they started germinating perhaps two weeks ago. I love them! If I start them now, they actually make it through the 90 degree days. But I can only grow the heat tolerant kind.

Donna

i have found is Sc that once the weather turns warm no more sweet peas just like pansies. i have a few volenteers over winter if lucky but i gave up on them years ago.

Wow Grace .. I think I'll take what few seeds I have left and throw them in the garden come August.

X