Help. What is wrong with my sweetpeas?

[senua]

I sowed some sweetpeas last autumn and another variety in February. They were both doing really well but in the last week-or-so have suddenly gone sickly. I can't see any problem - no greenfly, mildew, etc - but they have gone limp and, for last autumn's sewing, yellowy.
What's wrong and how do I resuscitate them?

It sounds like damping off. Caused by a fungus that could be in the compost or dirty pots.
Also caused by a high humidity and not enough air circulation. Seeding too tightly packed can be another cause.
Sadly, I think you’ll have to start again. Or buy some plants, I do😊

Whilst talking of sweet peas (sorry to hijack!) I have several pots in the kitchen window with shoots of about 2".
Can these go outside in the big pot now then?

It’s too soon to plant them out, there still could be a severe frost. To be sure you need to wait till mid May, but on warm days you could put them out to harden off and take them in late afternoon.

Thanks for the info on damping off. It is especially annoying on the plants that have survived the winter ... only to die in the spring.

If you are going to buy replacement plants, I would put them in a different place in the garden. I start my sweet peas in the house. I get a 2 litre ice cream box, fill it with soil and toilet rolls and put two seeds in each. I bury the seed about halfway down the toilet roll and when they emerge, support them with pea sticks.

I do it in January, it it is not too late to do it now. Some people snip off the tendrils and support the plants with string. The thinking is that it conserves the plants energy. Not. Sure if it is true but my Dad cut of the tendrils of clematis and had amazing displays.

Monty don put his sweet peas out this week - so I am going to do the same! I would say that his were not 'perfect' and there was definitely some yellowing leaves.....

Herefordshire?

Sweet peas can survive low temperatures.