It has snowed again. How dare it! Here am I, waiting for spring to arrive. By 'spring' I mean the sort of spring that has sunshine and bright light, and days that are warm enough for a summer-gardener like me to enjoy pottering around. As I look out of the window at the snowy disorganisation, I think of all the chores that imminently need to be done (much of it pruning, lawn-border trimming, raking lawn free of moss, etc) and it's nerve racking. I did, however, the day before yesterday, have chance to plant out a small pot of 'Spencer Mixed' sweet peas that I bought at the RHS Garden Centre in Harlow Carr. You would think they wouldn't fare so well having several plants in one small spot but once in the garden the roots find their own way and last year's pot of sweet peas did wonderfully well despite the competition of a clematis.
I actually bought three pots of 'Spencer Mixed' sweet peas and only remembered that I hadn't hardened them off (acclimatising them to outdoor temperatures) until I had planted the first pot. It will have to take its chances but the other two pots are being put out during the day and brought in during the freezing nights until I think they can weather the storm, so to speak. Sweet peas are quite hardy and many professionals advocate and argue about planting the seeds in outdoors late autumn, or at the beginning of the year, or starting them off in pots. I've found that letting someone else do the hard work, and buying them already germinated and growing well in pots when I am ready to plant them, works for me.
