Not a pretty flower picture yet but soon you will see what these will grow into.
One of my favourite must grow flowers are sweetpeas. Just their beautiful scent and pretty ruffled petals makes it worth while – plus if you keep picking they are prolific bloomers.
While I wait I’ll read a couple of my favourite gardening magazines! I belong to the Royal Horticultural Society in UK and love reading their “The Garden” magazine. I also have a subscription to “Gardens Illustrated”
Here’s a few tips to get you started if you want to try them yourself.
1) Soak the seeds in water for 24 hours to soften their hard coats.
2) Fill your pots with moist good quality potting soil. You can use special “root trainer” pots, cardboard toilet roll tubes, homemade paper pots or anything you have that is deep enough.
3) Push the plumped up seeds in to the soil about 2cm deep – 1 or 2 per pot depending on the size. Don’t forget to label them.
4) Cover the pots with a plastic dome or newspaper. This helps keep them moist.Place them somewhere at room temperature and check everyday for germination.
5) Once the seedlings start growing move them to a cool but light place. Cool temperatures help promote root growth.
6) Once they have 3 – 4 pairs of leaves pinch off the very top of the stem. This will help them form side shoots.
7) Meanwhile prepare a place in the garden to plant them. Find somewhere in full sun with extra manure or garden compost dug in. You will also need something for them to grow up as they start to climb.
8) Once the roots fill your pots they are ready to plant out. If you used cardboard or paper pots then you can just plant those too – no need to take them out!
9) As they start to grow keep them well watered and encourage them to cling on to the structure or tie them on.
10) Then as they start to flower keep picking them everyday and enjoy!
Let me know if you try growing them 🌸🌱
Rosalind's Garden Blooms 