Sweet pea help!

[MrsBertBibby]

How do you keep them organised? I have about 10 pots of seedlings, but they are all getting tangled up! How do you keep each pot or loo roll from getting tangled up with their neighbours? Is there a cone of shame for plants?

Hi I use sticks to prop them up. I am actually just germinating mine this week I had 4 this morning and I really can't wait until tomorrow to see how many more. It's really like therapy to me.

Mine have germinated fine but are all leggy prob due to dark and dank days. I should have waited but was excited! Will pot them on deep and hope for the best!

I was just about to post about sweetpeas!
Sorry, OP, I hope you don't kind.

I've messed up (I think). I put the seeds into trays with compost (actually the compost was very wet ). I did this Thursday and then decided to Google to see where to put them....

I've done it wrong haven't I? I've used about 70+ seeds

I’d re sow the seeds into plant pots, 4 in each pot, using the same compost . The compost should have dried out a bit by now. Sweet peas like to grow long roots. I’ve used plant pots and old toilet roll inserts before now. All have worked.

Thanks @Beebumble2
So they are fine to go into compost though? I have been reading they should have been soaked and then started off on tissue paper?

And do they need to be kept inside in the warm? The cats are far too nosy. Would putting them in the draughty lean to be ok? It doesn't get much sun (or warmth).

I’ve used tall newspaper pots for mine, they have gone a bit leggy probably because of low light. I will repot them a little deeper this week, this will help them get less tangled. So lovely to see things growing now though.

I always use compost, by the sounds of it you’ve already soaked them.
Photo of mine just popping through in an unheated greenhouse.

Thank you! I will pop them in the lean to then. The trays are quite deep (I've used old mushroom and fruit containers) so will not repot until I can see them doing anything. I grew sweetpeas years and years ago but recon I just planted straight into the ground outside.

Op-could you place another loo roll over the top? To make the pot higher? Or get the kids to go twig and stick hunting so you can wrap the seedling shoots around those?

If you sowed them in the autumn, then pinching out the tops when they got to 6 inches high imposes some sort of order. As seedlings go, they're relatively tough, so a bit of patience gets them untangled. Start at the tips and work backwards.

If the roots are tangled, holding two pots apart under slight tension and shaking usually works. Again, gentleness and patience. It's quite a calming activity.

So they are fine to go into compost though? I have been reading they should have been soaked and then started off on tissue paper? I never soak them, just make sure the compost is good and moist.

I sowed mine in an unheated greenhouse last autumn. They spent the whole winter in the greenhouse (I did have a heater on for a couple of days last week so they probably didn't go below minus 3). I've just planted them into their final positions in tubs, but I'm leaving the tubs in the greenhouse for a while - mainly to protect against slugs.

Here are mine, I sowed them in January and left them (covered) on a cool windowsill. I have just today moved my seedlings to the front porch, which is glazed, as I have no greenhouse, but many, many stacking shoe racks.

@MrsBertBibby If those were mine. I'd detangle without delay, then place a short cane in each pot and tie the seedling to it. Then inspect daily for any plants going the "wrong" way. I'd probably also pinch out the tips, too. Good move, to put them in the porch - they look as if they weren't getting enough light on the windowsill/ You may find they're a bit fragile, so go gently. If you accidentally break the stem high up, they'll re-shoot from the axil of a lower leaf, but if there aren't any leaves further down you've had it.

Argh. I have just come in the the garden without bring canes again!

Having sowed sweet pea seeds indoors before and had problems planting them out in the spring, this year I sowed seeds directly into the ground in October. They grew much too early (or so I thought) but have survived sitting in snow and are looking very healthy. I know they like long roots so hopefully they will now be well established.