I think maybe a cooler room might be better for them, Jen, - just somewhere frost-free, otherwise they will race away and be too leggy to plant out when spring finally comes. Mine are up in a distinctly chilly loft and seem to be doing well.

thanks, when they go out, what preparation do i need to do ? i have been told things like putting wet newspaper in the bed, and also lots of manure, is this neccessary, am willing do do whatever it takes,but not if its just silly !! They will go in a fairly sunny border that has a lot of daff.bulbs in so i guess it would be hard to dig out completely unless i replant all the bulbs. This gardening stuff is more complicated than you think, what with the strange weather,pests & dodgy knees

I tried growing some in pots in a cold summerhouse last year, but still they became very leggy. I have had much better results just sowing them straight into the ground a bit later on. Good luck.

Ah, There's the fun in the challenge! If you haven't got dodgy knees now, be sure a couple of years of gardening will change that.
All I know about sweet peas, and I am no expert, is that they do like a good, deep, rich soil, with no competing weeds, so yes, ideally a fair bit of preparation is best. If you do use manure, make sure it is really well rotted. I haven't heard the theory about wet newspapers, but nothing surprises me. I am planning to grow some of mine on in some big compost-filled pots with bamboo wigwams for them to climb, and others are going in between runner beans, so will scramble up the same beansticks and help attract bees, so we should get a better rate of bean pollination. If you don't dig your bed out, they will still grow, but I don't think the results will be nearly as good. Good luck, and send us some pictures!

I would take the pots out of the bags, however. Sweet pea seeds are so large, and sprout so fast in indoor temperatures, that keeping them constantly moist isn't such an issue. In fact, the poor air circulation is an open invitation to damping off fungi. Be sure to have ample light available for them when they do sprout--preferably direct sun, and/or very bright artificial light--or they will stretch badly and get wimpy.

would they be ok outside in a cold greenhouse ? it is always warm indoors,as we have to keep 89 year old mom comfy, so do a good line in hot house plants

Love the idea of sweet peas on the bean poles - will give that a try. it was ages last year before I got any setting.

The sweet peas should be fine in the greenhouse as long as you fleece them if its likely to be frosty. If they are grown too fast and soft they won't be so happy transferring to outside. Often seeds sown later do tend to catch up with ones started earlier.

As all the above say, with lots of weekly feed during summer months, and lots of regular deheading to keep them flowering. Too early for me to start sweat peas, as I have found they get leggy. I wait until April/May and plant them straight out. They are very greedy feeders. Recommend a miracle grow feed twice a week. They also like to be kept moist.

Once they get going and have about 6 leaves on a stem, then pinch out the growing tip and you will get bushy plants and more flowers!

thank you all so much, will take all advice and should get megga flowers, have kept a few seeds back to plant direct in beds so should cover all bases. Will get to grips with photos to post results just need to get children to teach me.Have been told by best friend that i am a b... ludite

They need to be grown as cold as possible before planting out Early April.
Once germinated your sweet peas can be planted 5 seeds in a 6" pot, or rootrainers, and left out in a cold frame at all times with the lights open, only closing when temperatures go below -5.c.
It doesn't matter if they get a little leggy as the main shoot needs to be stopped eventually ( usually when there are 2-3 pairs of fully formed leaves) to produce side shoots which grow on to form the flowers.

thanks all

Don't forget to pinch them out, as marshmallow says, for a bushier plant, and I do hope we don't have the same high humidity as last year - at least in the west midlands!!

depends on the variety as to the "bushiness" allowed.
The spencer varieties are grown with one side shoot only.
This means bigger flowers, longer stems, longer flowering.
Anything more than that means smaller flowers and stems.

oh dear, more complication, how do i know what a spencer variety is ?. These are antique fantasy & prima ballerina. They have started to sprout,have moved them to by garage window untill they are all through, and then i will put them in cold greenhouse. I feel like i have intensive care babies,will i expect get less stressed about these things with experience. The wet newspaper advice came from an elderly gentleman, who i am told has wonderful sweet peas on his allotment .If mine are not ready for chelsea it wont be for want of trying !

I think you'd better get your stand booked now!

I've had antique fantasy. Lovely colours and scent and you can pinch them out so don't worry.
I sowed some seeds early in pots last year and they got going well and flowered beautifully but I also shoved some seeds in the ground very late and forgot about them and they were still flowering in October. So just relax and enjoy. Good luck.