This season, sweet pea blooms are blooming so exquisitely and are both colorful and fragrant.
Lathyrus odoratus, a sweet pea, is a garden staple that produces lovely blooms with the most incredible aroma. Sweet pea seeds can either be sown straight into the ground in the spring or into small compost pots in the fall to overwinter inside. Ours were sown in March in my veggie garden along a trellis. And just last week, we created many arrangements with exquisite flowers that we selected and made to decorate my house.
Along this natural trellis we fashioned out of supplies we already had in the garden, we planted the sweet peas. Here, sweet peas work well because they draw bees and other beneficial pollinators that the crops need.
It’s the ideal time of year to gather these aromatic flowers because there are so many magnificent blossoms. Annual climbers, sweet pea plants require help to flourish. Most people reach heights of five to six feet.
The traditional kinds are produced for their powerful smell and brilliant colors. They have a wonderful aroma.
The flowers have stems that look folded, like fringed butterflies. Fortunately, the stems are strong enough to support the profusion of blossoms.
This fascinating cultivar, known as “Nimbus,” which has gray-white petals with inky, blue-black streaks running through them and bordering the petal edge, is relatively new. On nine to twelve-inch stems, these plants produce stunning, profusions of bicolor blooms.
Here is a variation in vivid pink and white. Since the 17th century, sweet peas have been produced for use in gardens. They are native to the Mediterranean islands and the southwest of Italy.
The sweet pea’s pinnate leaves have two leaflets each and a terminal tendril that twines around plants and other supports to aid in climbing.
Peas climb by using tendrils. Anything that is a quarter-inch or smaller can be grabbed by them. It’s critical to get them blooming early to avoid being destroyed by the summer heat.
Sweet peas can be grown as annuals in all USDA hardiness zones, but they thrive in environments with moderately chilly summers. Although in warmer climates they do well in a site that receives partial sun, particularly in the heat of the day. They prefer full sun.
There are many different shades of sweet peas that can be grown, including pink, blue, white, and lavender.
Here at the farm, the dark red and white sweet pea is an agricultural staple. Rich, well-drained soil is preferred by sweet peas. Sweet peas thrive in soil that has a pH of about 7.5, which is somewhat alkaline.
It’s a good idea to clip blooms frequently and get rid of the faded blossoms in order to keep the vine productive. Check the seed packets carefully and remember that some kinds may handle heat better than others.
Sweet peas require regular wetness to thrive since they love the taste of water. To help the plants grow, water them once a week with a diluted fish and seaweed emulsion.
Mixtures with great scent are included in the sweet pea variety. Hummingbirds find these to be quite alluring. Large, two-inch flowers in the vivid, clear hues of purple, pink, and white are produced by this mixture.
Although sweet pea seeds resemble edible sweet peas, they are extremely deadly if consumed, so keep them out of the reach of children and animals.
Elvira collects a few stems of various hues. She demonstrates how they will be cut to the same length while taking the container’s size into consideration.
Elvira trims the stems after selecting a sufficient number of blossoms, leaving them between six and eight inches in length.
Pick sweet peas when the stem tip has at least two unopened blossoms for the greatest vase life. Look at how lovely they are in this tiny vase of clear glass.
For my servery, these two arrangements are also made.
It is intoxicating to smell. Which sweet peas are your favorites? Please leave me a remark below.
How do you tell when a sweet pea is ready to be harvested?
Picking and tasting peas daily until they are perfect is the best method to determine when they are ready. Next, harvest.
Three weeks after the blossoms open, peas ought to be about ready for harvest. When the pods have inflated and are almost cylindrical in shape, shelling peas are ready. Before the seeds start to swell, edible pod peas are ready when they are 2-3 inches long.
The quickest method of harvesting may be to pinch them off by hand, or to use a small set of scissors. Because vines can be fragile, pull them up with one hand while steadying them with the other. Pea vine tips can be used in stir fry and are edible.
Your pea harvest should be consumed right away. Peas begin turning their sugar to starch as soon as they are plucked, much like maize does.
You probably waited too long if your peas seem off-textured or taste a little bit harsh.
Should I harvest every sweet pea?
Sweet peas are ideal for picking, are simple to grow, and come in a variety of lovely colors. They can be grown in the ground or in pots, trained up a frame for a lovely show. If you want to enjoy the scent of sweet peas while relaxing in the yard, plant them close to a seating area. Or choose some for the vase—even a tiny quantity may make a space smell good.
How to grow sweet peas at home
Sow sweet pea seeds in the spring or autumn. Pinch out the tops of plants when they are 10 cm tall to promote bushy growth. Mid-spring is a good time to plant, and water frequently. The tendrils on the majority of kinds “self-cling” to supports, however certain sweet pea varieties require tying in.
When flower buds start to develop, begin fertilizing sweet peas with a high potash fertilizer (like tomato food). Continue choosing those blooms for the vase because frequent picking fosters the formation of new blossoms.
How do you harvest peas from the plant?
- Use two hands to pick peas. With one hand holding the vine firmly in place, use the other to squeeze and pull on each pod’s stem. Avoid pulling or jerking the pods away; pea plants cling to their support with delicate tendrils, making it possible for a hefty hand to knock the plant over.
- After the dew has dried in the morning, pick the peas. At that point, they will be crisp and crunchy for eating right away.
- Peas need to be swiftly chilled to keep their freshness and sugar content (the sugar in peas quickly turns to starch after harvest unless cooled). In the refrigerator, cooled peas will maintain their quality for over a week.
- Peas can be cooled and dried after being picked in a cold water bath to remove heat from the garden or field.
- Keep plants well-tended to foster the development of additional pods. Peas can still be picked, dried, and shelled to be used in winter soups even if you miss the peak harvest (verify the days to maturity). Once mature, the quality for fresh eating rapidly deteriorates.
Prepare your ground
It is crucial to prepare the ground. Early in the year, make a deep soil excavation and add a decent all-purpose base fertilizer. The optimal time to add organic material and well-rotted manure is in the previous autumn. In the spring, if you mix too much, you can end up with more stems and leaves than blooms.
Put up a good support.
Ideal supports for plants to climb up are sturdy canes or hazel poles that are 2 meters (6 feet) in height. You need a sturdy, stable structure that gives the plants on all sides access to direct sunshine. In the shadow, sweet peas do not do well.
Always sow sweet pea seeds in deep pots or tubes
If the plants are to grow successfully, they must build a long tap-root system. Make sure you can transplant without harming the roots no matter what you choose to use. From April on, you can seed directly into the open ground, although few areas have soil that produces the best crops when grown this manner.
Planting out
Seedlings should be planted out as soon as they are big enough (about 5 cm, 2 in) and should be protected from birds, slugs, and snails. Sweet peas are quite hardy and benefit from chilly soil to develop more effectively. Too much time spent indoors weakens the plants and draws them in.
Tying sweet peas
As the plants begin to grow, carefully secure them to the canes or poles with flexi-tie (that flexible plastic tie) or soft string. Sweet pea rings made of delicate wire can also be used. Avoid damaging or breaking the stems.
Cutting back tendrils
Although it is not necessary to cut the tendrils, doing so keeps them from tangling with one another and the flower stems. Flower stems that have tendrils wrapped around them become bent and curled, making them unusable for cutting.
Watering is essential.
Bud drop and stems devoid of flowers are the results of dry soil at the roots during bud formation. This typically occurs at the start of the growing season when there has been some precipitation and the grower assumes that the soil is sufficiently moist; it frequently isn’t.
8. Continue to cut flowers
Continue pruning as the blooms bloom to encourage more blossom production. Never allow seeds to mature on plants. Sweet peas should be considered an annual. If seeds grow, they signal to the plant that its task is complete, and the plant begins to wither.
Feed your sweet peas
Feed with a general liquid fertilizer as soon as the plants begin to grow after planting out and throughout the growth season. Ideal fertilizers include those made for summer bedding plants or tomatoes. Dried Blood was my mother’s recipe for success, and it always seemed to work. Organic gardeners might want to give it a try.
Extend your sweet pea growing season
Keep in mind that sweet peas were historically planted in the fall outside in cold frames or unheated greenhouses. This means that the plants can be planted out early the next spring to give you earlier flowers because they are well-developed. For a longer flowering season, it’s worth growing half this way and half from a spring sowing.
So which varieties will I be growing?
I was overjoyed to discover “Wiltshire Ripple” among Suttons Seeds’ offerings. This was growing alongside the wonderful deep maroon “Beaujolais” in Harlow Carr, and the two were magnificent together. I also like Suttons Seeds’ “True Fragrance,” a frilled and flecked blend.
I especially adore the heirloom sweet pea variety “Prince of Orange,” which contrasts nicely with the deep purple-blue “Cupani.” Try Sweet Pea ‘Juanita’, a vibrantly colored combination of some of these strongly scented blooms, if you enjoy the notion of these fragrant Heirloom variety.
Last but not least, “Noel Sutton” is essential to me for it to be sweet pea time. The ideal Sweet Pea is this large-flowered, frilled, fragrant, soft blue kind; it is everything you would want in a flower of this caliber.
Choosing sweet peas and perennial peas
The major consideration is whether or not aroma is crucial to you when deciding between perennial Lathyrus and sweet peas. Then work out whether you’d prefer an annual or perennial. There are several color choices available as well as climbing and bushier varieties.
Fragrance
Choose sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus), which are generally very fragrant, if you enjoy a pleasant garden and sweet-smelling flowers for indoor use.
Lord Anson’s blue pea (Lathyrus nervosus), a perennial Lathyus, is an exception to the rule since it does have a perfume.
How long the plant lasts
After setting seed, sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) only have a one-year lifespan. However, don’t let this deter you because they are quite simple to grow from seed. Lathyrus latifolius is an example of a perennial species that returns every year, however there are fewer options and they typically lack smell.
Colour
The annual sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) has a large variety of blossom colors, including bicolored varieties. However, the perennial varieties do come in some uncommon colors, like yellow and orange.
Habit
The majority of Lathyrus are climbing plants, therefore support them with canes, netting, or allow them to climb over a bank or through a bush. For ground cover and pots, clumping varieties like the spring-flowering Lathyrus vernus and dwarf bushy sweet pea varieties like “Snoopea” and “Bijou Mixed” are excellent choices.
Buying sweet peas and perennial peas
Although many garden centers also sell a few sweet pea seeds in packets, the largest assortment of sweet pea seeds may be acquired from internet seed suppliers. In the spring, several nurseries and garden centers sell pots of germinated sweet pea seedlings that can be divided into individual plants and raised in pots before being planted outside.
There are a few seed specialists who sell perennial Lathyrus seeds, like Lathyrus latifolius, but many gardeners opt to purchase the plants instead. The plant you’re looking for can be found using our Find a Plant tool.
When to plant sweet peas and perennial peas
- Annual sweet peas should be sown either in late January or early April and planted out in April.
- Sow perennial Lathyrus in the spring or the fall.
Where to plant sweet peas and perennial peas
Locate a sunny area where there is room for the plant to grow or to bush out (depending on its habit). Also acceptable is a little light shade, especially for Lathyrus grandiflorus.
How to plant sweet peas and perennial peas
- To avoid cold shock, indoor seedlings should be hardened off for 10–14 days before being transplanted outside.
- Ideally, four weeks before planting, enhance the soil by incorporating a soil conditioner like garden compost or manure.
- Sprinkle general-purpose fertilizer, as directed on the pack, into the area where you plan to plant it, such as Growmore, Vitax Q4, or blood, fish, and bones.
- Before planting, water your plants thoroughly to hydrate the roots.
- Remove pots from larger plants and ease seedlings out of modules or pots while being careful not to snap or crush the stems.
- Plants should be separated by 20–30 cm (8–1 ft).
- Place climbing plants near to their intended support (within 5-7.5cm or 2-3in), with two plants at the foot of each cane if they are climbing a wigwam.
- After planting, water once more to help the soil surrounding the roots settle.
Use garden twine or sweet pea support rings to secure young climbing plant shoots to canes, pea sticks, netting, trellis, or shrub shoots that they will be growing up. Tendrils in contact with supports will naturally start to cling on, but if any are straying or in danger of snapping, keep tying in new shoots.
In dry weather, check on plants in the ground every 3 to 4 days and on those in containers every day because they won’t flower as well if they become too dry. Each time you water, be sure to use enough water to completely moisten the roots.
Apply a high potassium liquid fertilizer, such as tomato feed, once or twice a week on light or infertile soils. This promotes flowering, particularly in annual sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus).
Pick or remove dead flower heads as frequently as you can once flowering starts. For annual sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus), which will stop flowering if seedpods are allowed to form, this is especially crucial.
Pinching out
When plants are around 7.5 to 10 cm tall, pinch out the shoot tips of new spring-sown sweet peas for gardening (3-4in). This promotes robust side branching. Autumn-planted seedlings frequently naturally branch.
Cordons
Pick the strongest shoot and keep pinching out all the tendrils and other sideshoots as they grow whether you want to enter your sweet peas in a local show or just want to maximize the size of blossoms for cutting. By using this technique, the plant directs its attention to the blossoms. The term “cordons” is used to describe these single-stemmed plants.
One stem per bamboo cane or tall stake needs to be tied to them on a regular basis. To keep the shoot in place as it grows, you can use twine looped in a figure-eight pattern around the cane and stem. Use sweet pea rings, which are wire loops that wrap around the stem and cane and are lightly squeezed until they hold, to make things simpler.
Cordons have the potential to grow much taller than the typical 2 m (6 1/2 ft) estimated height.
Cutting back
Cut perennial Lathyrus back to the ground in the fall, or better still, wait until February to do it so the dead stems can serve as wintertime cover for wildlife. When flowering is ended at the end of the summer, annual sweet peas can simply be pulled out and composted. This might happen a little bit sooner during hot, dry seasons.
Methods
Sweet peas can be immediately sown into the ground in April, or they can be planted in seed compost pots in the fall or spring. Although it takes more time, pot-sowing is typically more dependable than direct sowing. If you plant in the fall to enhance your chances of getting early blooms, keep seedlings in a coldframe or cold greenhouse over the winter to protect them from growing lanky. Keep the coldframe’s lid elevated unless a strong frost is anticipated. Sweet peas planted in the spring flower in 12–14 weeks.
Sweet pea seeds frequently have a tough outer covering that makes them more challenging to germinate. Place your seeds on a layer of damp vermiculite or kitchen tissue and store them in an airtight container in a warm area. As soon as the seeds swell or start to sprout, plant them. Some gardeners like to soak the seeds overnight instead, but if you don’t plant them right away thereafter, they might rot. With a sharp penknife, chip off a little portion of the hard seed coat to allow moisture to enter and promote germination on recalcitrant seeds that haven’t swelled.
- Individually sow seeds in seed compost-filled rootrainers or 9 cm (3 in) pots. As an alternative, sow five to seven seeds per 13 cm (5 in) pot, spacing them 2-3 cm (3/4-11/4 in) apart.
- Add 1 cm (1/2 in) of vermiculite or compost to the top of the seeds.
- Add water and maintain at around 15C. (59F)
- It is optional to cover the pots with clear polythene or glass to reduce the likelihood that they will dry out, but keep in mind to remove the covering after the seeds have germinated.
- Once they have grown to around 3.5 cm (11/2 in), carefully transplant single seedlings into 9cm (3 in) pots if you have seeded them several to a pot.
- Use your thumb and finger to pinch out (remove) the top of the shoot just above a healthy leaf when the seedlings are 7.5–10cm (3–4in) tall. This will promote side branches, which are always stronger than the core stem that has been removed.
- At least four weeks before planting, remove all weeds from the soil and add a soil enhancer, such as garden compost, manure, or composted bark.
- Only plant seeds as the soil begins to warm, typically around April.
- To create a wigwam, plant any temporary supports, like pea sticks or bamboo canes, in the ground.
- Take out a shallow drill of dirt 2.5 cm (1 in) deep for rows of sweet peas, and plant a seed every 5 to 7.5 cm in it (2-3in)
- Seedlings should eventually be spaced 20–30 cm (8–1 ft) apart to provide the plants enough room to flourish. The extra seedlings may seem like a waste to compost, but unless treated carefully, their roots are typically too damaged to recover.
- Push two seeds into the ground at the base of each cane to a depth of 2.5 cm (1 in) when sowing around a wigwam of canes.
Perennial peas
In the spring or the fall, divide bigger plants. If you want to divide Lathyrus vernus in the spring, wait until after flowering.
Unfortunately, very few of the issues with sweet peas and perennial peas are extremely problematic.
- Powdery mildew, which is brought on by drought or insufficient hydration, results in a grey leaf coating.