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Sweet peas have a distinctive perfume that is associated with summer, and the season’s joys include their exquisite blossoms. It is no surprise that sweet peas are one of our favorite flowers as a little number of them will produce a large number of cut blossoms and add color to your yard. They are easy to cultivate by anyone, but if you want a bigger challenge, there are creative ways to grow them well as well. They are plants for every gardener.
There is still time to plant seeds or buy seedlings, so get started now if you want to cultivate flowers for the neighborhood show, have a few cut flowers for a vase indoors, decorate your patio, or combine aromatic sweet peas with your rose garden.
Since their introduction from Sicily to Northern Europe in 1699, these annual climbers have become favorites in our gardens. The little, unfurled blossoms of the early sweet peas were wonderfully scented. Although the flowers are considerably smaller than the sweet peas we are accustomed to seeing today, they were evolved into a wider spectrum of colors with larger blossoms in the late 19th century and given the name Grandifloras. The well-known Spencer sweet peas, also known by the name “Countess Spencer,” were developed in 1900 as a variety or cross of the well-known pink Grandiflora “Prima Donna.” The majority of the popular types we produce now and all the display varieties were derived from this, which had significantly larger flowers with frilly petals.
Because seeds are big and simple to handle, you can plant them individually in pots without having to transplant them. They are typically sown in sweet pea tubes or long, skinny pots because of their deep roots.
Some individuals prefer to soak sweet pea seeds in water overnight prior to sowing since the seeds’ stiff seed coat can make them less able to absorb water. This is not necessary for all types, and seeds with dark seed coats typically germinate more slowly. Because soaking can harm the seeds, some people choose to “chip” the seeds by removing a little portion of the seed coat with a knife or by rubbing them against sandpaper to allow water to be absorbed.
Anything above 15 °C is adequate for the seeds to germinate; a high temperature is not necessary.
The seedlings need to be kept cold and in bright light over the winter if they were sown in the fall. The plants can endure light frost in a cold greenhouse or coldframe, but they need to be kept moist. Slugs and snails, as well as mice, who will devour the seeds and seedlings, are the primary threats to them.
They can be planted outside in March or April where they will blossom, whether they were seeded in the spring or the fall. Defend them against snails and slugs. Even a light frost won’t hurt them.
Sweet peas don’t have particular soil preferences, but they do need a well-prepared, slightly alkaline soil to which some garden compost or well-rotted manure has been added. As long as you add organic matter and place them in full sun, they will thrive in the majority of soil types.
They may also be grown in pots and other containers. Use John Innes No. 3 compost or a high-quality multipurpose compost. Although sweet peas can withstand brief periods of drought, they should still be irrigated in dry conditions to prevent mildew. Make sure to provide them with weekly liquid fertilizer in pots to maintain their growth and blossoming.
The initial few flower buds frequently fall off before blooming, and this is most likely to happen in cool, rainy weather. There is no need to be concerned because later flowers usually open normally. Keep trimming the flowers to prolong the flowering period on your plants. The plants quickly degenerate and stop flowering if seedpods develop. So continue to harvest delicious peas for your home.
Sweet peas planted in pots and hanging baskets can provide color and fragrance to your patio. Although they are not as wonderful for cutting, dwarf sweet peas are just as simple to grow as other varieties and will allow you to enjoy sweet peas all summer long in your yard and house.
Which compost kind is ideal for sweet peas?
Sweet peas should be planted in a well-drained but moisture-retentive soil in an open, sunny location. Sweet peas are ideal for container gardening. utilize a compost that is good, peat-free, and has a slow-release fertilizer added in.
How to sow sweet peas
From seeds, sweet peas are simple to grow in the spring or autumn. If you are planting in the fall, make sure you have space for them to grow until spring in a frost-free location.
Sweet pea seeds sprout fairly quickly. However, by nicking the seed coat with a knife and avoiding the “eye” region, you can encourage germination. Either plant seed in trays, root trainers, or 9cm pots (3 to a pot). Place the seed in a cold frame or greenhouse after sowing it in high-quality, peat-free compost.
View Monty Don’s instructional video on how to cultivate sweet peas from seed:
Planting out sweet peas
Once all risk of frost has passed, you can start planting your sweet peas in late May. Put them outside throughout the day and bring them inside at night to harden them off before planting. When young sweet pea plants are around 10 cm tall, pinch out the tips to promote bushy growth.
In the spring, you can purchase sweet pea plug plants. Under a support, such as a wigwam made of bamboo canes, plant them in rich soil. The average sweet pea will reach a height of 2 meters. Until they have a healthy growth, water them well. Don’t worry about separating individual plants; simply space sweet pea plugs or pots about 20 cm apart.
Watch Monty as he demonstrates how to put out store-bought plants while planting sweet peas. Find out the advantages of giving them a nice drink after planting as well as why it is best to plant them out just once the soil has warmed up:
Which types of soil do sweet peas prefer?
Sweet peas are one of the few annual flowers with enduring appeal and rural charm. They appear to be the exact opposite of our hurried life as they twine languidly around a rustic trellis. Sweet peas are fantastic flowers for gardens and bouquets thanks to their alluring scent. For information on how to plant and care for sweet peas, read our Sweet Pea Growing Guide!
About Sweet Peas
The sour pea Lathyrus odoratus is an annual flower that looks great twining on a trellis or arch, growing in a cutting garden, border garden, or woods. Today, a wide variety of hues, from pearly white to ice cream pastels to ritzy magentas and inky purples, are available for the blooms.
Only their honey and orange blossom fragrance matches their delicate winged flowers. Their appeal has been ensured by the combination of their exquisite aroma and their capacity to generate a large number of flowers for the house over an extended time of cutting.
One of the keys to cultivating sweet peas is to sow them early. Sweet peas are incredibly tough, despite the way they appear fragile. Plant them in very late winter or early spring in USDA Hardiness Zone 7 or colder, as soon as the soil is dry enough to work with. (Don’t plant seeds after the last frost.
When Dr. Robert Uvedale, a teacher from Enfield, Middlesex, received seeds of this exceedingly fragrant annual in 1699 from a Sicilian monk named Francis Cupani, he brought the first sweet peas to Britain. In North America, they gained enormous popularity as garden plants and cut flowers. By the late 1800s, producers in California, especially W. Atlee Burpee, were exporting trainloads of sweet peas across the nation and creating numerous new varieties.
Some people liken the process of producing sweet peas to that of preparing pie dough. Some individuals are gifted, while others are not. This plant sprouts from large, manageable seeds that resemble peas. They are still rather challenging since they take a while to germinate. It’s worthwhile to experiment with various seeds every year.
When to Plant Sweet Peas
- Sweet peas should be planted as soon as the soil is dry enough to work in very late winter or early spring in most places where frosts occur frequently (Zone 7 and colder). (Start sowing before the last frost! Most certainly, it will be too late.)
- Plant sweet peas in the late fall (November) if you garden in a region with a mild winter climate (Zones 8, 9, or 10), so they can grow and blossom in the late winter and early spring. Six weeks before you plant the seeds, dig a trench and fill it with compost or well-rotted manure to obtain the greatest show. Sweet peas are gregarious plants that require a lot of nutrient-rich materials to flourish.
Sowing Sweet Peas Indoors
- Start sweet peas inside in a seed tray to get a head start on the season in the coldest regions of the nation. Sweet peas can withstand light frosts, so plant out as soon as the soil can be worked in early spring, around 6 to 7 weeks before the last date for frost.
- The seeds’ outer layer is softened and helped to germinate by soaking them overnight. Using a nail file to lightly score the outer shell can also be beneficial.
- 2 seeds to a module is fine to sow the seeds, but keep in mind that their lengthy roots have a propensity to tangle and can make separation challenging. Sow the seeds around half an inch deep in each cell of a seed tray.
- Scoop them out gently after they start to sprout their first pea-like leaves and place them in a larger container to harden off. One of the most reputable growers of sweet peas gave me the following piece of advice: “Treat the seedlings like I would treat my husband: put them in an unheated greenhouse, neglect them, and they will thrive.
- Plant them outside as soon as the soil can be worked.
Sowing Seeds in the Ground
- Sweet peas thrive when their roots are firmly planted in cold, wet soil and their heads are exposed to sunlight. Plant low-growing annuals in front of them if you can to provide shade for the roots.
- Pick a spot that drains effectively. If your soil tends to be acidic, it is recommended to add some powdered lime to the surface.
- Mix liberal amounts of compost or well-rotted manure into the ground to a depth of two feet to create a rich soil. (Learn more about adding amendments to the soil and getting it ready for planting.)
- You should dig a beautiful, deep “compost trench” that is around 4 inches deep before planting.
- After digging the trench, use a pencil to cut holes, place the seeds inside, and then press down on the earth to compact it and block out any light.
- The seeds should be soaked in water for 24 hours prior to sowing. To hasten sprouting, nick the seeds with a nail file before planting. In a temperate climate, seeds don’t need to be soaked.
How to Grow Sweet Peas
- Depending on the soil temperature, germination after planting can take anywhere from 7 to 15 days.
- Fill in the trench gradually as the seedlings appear and develop. Hoe additional dirt toward them.
- Keep the soil wet. Summer rains may be plentiful. Sweet peas can have bud drop; if you stick your finger into the soil bed to its first joint and the soil is dry, water them at the soil level and do so in the morning.
- You won’t need to fertilize if you plant with a lot of compost and aged manure. Use high potash feeds if you do want to supplement the diet because nitrogen feeds promote excessive top development.
- Mulch well once plants are planted to keep the soil cool and moist. Unless the soil becomes dry, you might not need to water your sweet peas if you mulch.
- Pinch off the tops when plants are 6 inches tall, not sooner, as this will promote the production of side shoots too early.
Provide Supports
- When temperatures rise above 65°F, sweet peas will begin to fade since they like chilly days and nights.
- Sweet peas are true climbers, with the exception of the bush forms. Provide them with sufficient support for at least 6 feet. Some species can reach heights of nine or ten feet. A braided willow obelisk, bamboo poles in the tee-pee design, or a trellis are examples of other attractive supports. If you don’t have a fence or trellis, provide brush or chicken wire or bushy, stubbly twigs that they can cling on.
- Give the plants a good start by tying the first few stems to the support; the rest will follow. When they reach a height of 4 to 8 inches, use your thumb and forefinger to pinch out the middle growing point. Plants will grow stronger as a result.
Picking Flowers
- Pick flowers frequently for bouquets so that the plant will focus its energy on producing additional blooms rather than seeds. Up until the first frosts, the more you pick, the more they produce.
- Allow a couple of the final blossoms to mature into seedpods when the leaves begin to lose their color. On a windowsill, dry them, and then keep in an envelope in a dry location to sow the following year.
From miniature bedding kinds ideal for pots and borders without support to 8-foot-plus scramblers, there are sweet pea varieties for every setting.
These decorative peas are native to Sicily, where they have flimsy stems and a powerful orange-jasmine-honey aroma. Modern hybrids feature larger blooms and stronger stalks.
However, some of these contemporary kinds, despite having larger blossoms and more fashionable colors, lack the earlier sweet peas’ perfume. Sweet pea ‘Cupani’ is still rightfully well-liked and simple to grow. It has bi-colored flowers with maroon upper petals and violet “wings.”
The decadently fragrant “America” is an antique from 1896. When its petals open, beautiful red and white wavy stripes are revealed.
Look for antiques like the Sicilian “Old Spice” collection. Shades of white, cream, pink, lavender, and purple can be seen in this strain’s blossoms.
A new cultivar with enormous, creamy-yellow blooms with violet shading called “April in Paris” is aromatic.
Although the ordinary sweet pea is an annual, Lathyrus latiflolius, a perennial broad-leaved everlasting pea, is not fragrant. These clambering plants have a height of up to 6 or 7 feet, are hardy to zone 5, require little care, and bloom continuously from year to year.
- An essential component of a late Victorian garden is the sweet pea. Because of their wide range of colors and aroma, Victorians adored sweet peas.
- When the dew is still on the flowers in the morning, gather them. Their best aroma is at this time.