Am I the only one who is already daydreaming about the sweet pea flowers next year? Ideally, no! Okay, so perhaps I’m just a tiny bit fixated on these amazing blooms. However, I am aware that I must sow seeds this fall if I want to successfully grow sweet peas in my extremely hot climate (California’s Mojave Desert, zone 8b). In light of this, I decided to write a brief post about several excellent sources to get sweet pea seeds.
Unless you know where to look, it can be quite challenging to find seed for the more uncommon types of sweet peas. I only buy seed online because none of the local stores around here have the variety I’m looking for. I had to place orders from multiple vendors in order to get all the colors I desired. The following two businesses are new to me, while the other two are ones from which I have previously placed orders with success.
Suppliers of sweet pea seeds:
This year, I discovered Owl’s Acre Seed for the first time, and I’m so happy I did! Although they are situated in England, I was pleased to see that they ship to America. I was initially apprehensive to place an order because I had never purchased seeds outside of the U.S., but everything went well, and the seeds were delivered within a week. I had to cross-reference with images from Google and Floret because the photos on their website are not the best to get a decent concept of what the variations look like. I was ecstatic to obtain some rare types that I had been lusting over. Each of the tiny, transparent baggies containing their seeds has a color photograph of the flower on it. There is also a developing information sheet. www.owlsacreseeds.co.uk is their website address.
I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this and that it made it easier for you to find some wonderful sweet pea types. If you felt that this post was useful, please let me know in the comments section. Are you interested in learning how to grow sweet pea seeds? See HERE for my really simple method for sprouting sweet pea seeds. For daily garden ideas, you can also follow my Instagram feed!
Do sweet pea plants go on sale?
The ideal annual plant is the sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus variety and their hybrids). They are simple to grow, bloom with fury, and even a tiny bunch of them can fill a room with their enticing aroma. View More
The ideal annual plant is the sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus variety and their hybrids). They flower quickly, are simple to grow, and a little bunch may exude the aroma of summer. They can be grown in pots or along borders, occupy very little area, and, with the right support, self-climb and self-cling. Fantastic and necessary plants for any floral garden.
Sweet Pea Flower Summary
Positives: It blooms for free from May to September, is fragrant, comes in a variety of colors, and makes a good cutting flower.
Placement: Preferred in a sunny area with rich, well-drained soil and climbing assistance
Your sweet pea growing tutorial video:
Choosing Sweet Peas
Our sweet peas are developed in unique plugs where they quickly root and spread out without having their roots disturbed when planted. View More
Our sweet peas are developed in unique plugs where they quickly root and spread out without having their roots disturbed when planted. In both instances, they are produced from the finest seed we are able to locate, sowed in the finest compost, and fertilized with a slow-release fertilizer to maintain their roots until they are planted outside. And they sprout in the best possible environment—a very huge, airy polytunnel that is chilly, permits frost to contact it but never freezes solidly. This basically sums up why you should select these sweet pea seeds; they are the greatest.
Planting Sweet Pea Seedlings
Before planting, erect a support for the peas to climb. After that, plant your sweet peas in thoroughly prepared, moist soil that contains. View More
Before planting, erect a support for the peas to climb. Afterward, plant your sweet peas in thoroughly prepared, moist soil that is rich in organic materials (ideally incorporated the previous autumn). You can also grow plants in pots that are big enough to hold them; allow 3 to 4 liters per plant. A planting medium made of 50 percent compost, 40 percent topsoil, and 10 percent well-rotted manure is perfect. However, general-purpose compost works just fine but yields fewer flowers. Sweetpeas should be placed 5 cm away from their supports and 10-15 cm apart. The dirt should reach the first side shoot’s level and the hole should be large enough to allow the longest root. To enable the Sweet Pea to naturally climb the supports, use wire, netting, or twine between them. Still, you’ll need to fasten them to the frame. Check them roughly every ten days as they grow quickly.
Growing Sweet Peas
The main requirement is adequate water because sweet pea plants are both hungry and thirsty. So, give the soil around sweet peas plenty of water. View More
The main requirement is adequate water because sweet pea plants are both hungry and thirsty. Because of this, sweet pea soil should always be moist. They also need light; sweet peas can cope with a little shade but flower better in full sun. Harvest the flowers as they grow and then pick them again if they begin to form seedpods. Never allow it to happen, or they will completely stop blossoming. As long as you can, keep choosing and tying in. For more information on how to train sweetpeas, see the website. During the growing season, fertilize with a high potash and phosphate fertilizer to promote flowering. You don’t need more nitrogen since sweet peas actively repair nitrogen from the air into the soil. If you are on sandy soil, homemade comfrey liquid or tomorite are also recommended.
Buying Sweet Peas
Because the best seeds produce the greatest plants, we choose our seeds very carefully. Our seedlings vary by season. View More
Because the best seeds produce the greatest plants, we choose our seeds very carefully. Our seedlings are raised in deep plugs and sold in packs of four with quantity discounts if you purchase more of any one variety, depending on the season. Delivery occurs when the plants are prepared and the weather is suitable, but typically takes place between the end of February and the middle of June (for a late flowering show). Of course, we’ll email you to let you know your Sweet Peas have arrived. Because they are not meant to endure so long, annual plants are not covered by our year guarantee.
The best sweet pea is…
These sweet peas are some of our favorites. They are consistently excellent varieties and have a wonderful aroma. We grow about 50 varieties a year. We have discovered the best sweet peas for cutting and garden growth via expertise. With the exception of some outstanding extremely old sweet peas, all sweet pea varieties decline over time. When this happens, we will test out similar colors and switch out the old variety for the new one. Linda Carole is a prime example of this (see below).
Lathyrus odoratus ‘Linda Carole’
developed by Derek Heathcote, who has created a number of excellent varieties since opening his company in 1992. Similar to “Mars,” this stunning bloom appears to grow better from seed. It has a thin line (referred to as a “picotee” in sweet pea jargon) that surrounds the white background and has a carmine stripe. For a new kind, the aroma is excellent. Since we have been cultivating Linda Carole for almost four years, we especially suggest it for cutting.
Lathyrus odoratus ‘Matucana’
an ancient kind that has been around for a long time. Of all the highly aromatic sweet peas, it is arguably the most well-known. The bloom is smaller than contemporary types, but it makes up for its little size with an exquisite perfume. The smellometer reads “10/10”! a bushy plant with lots of blossoms. By tucking the flowers into the back of a larger bouquet, the fragrance will permeate the entire arrangement.
Lathyrus odoratus ‘Our Harry.’
When we first began producing sweet peas, we grew popular blue kinds like “Noel Sutton.” I fell in love with this pea the moment I spotted it at the Chelsea Flower Show one year, across a busy floral tent. The large, fragrant blue blossoms and crisp, translucent color definitely catch my eye. We have chosen to set aside a trial bed for blue sweet peas for 2019 because a variety of varieties that are identical to these blue sweet peas have lately entered the market. It will be intriguing to see if the ‘Our Harry’ can match the exquisite quality and aroma.
Sweet Pea ‘Valerie Harrod.’
is a standout addition to any collection of sweet peas since it differs from most other peas in having a peachy tone in its soft pink blossoms. This sweet pea is for aficionados. It has a pleasant aroma for a Spencer sweet pea, makes large, gorgeous flowers, and grows quickly. The color of sweet pea ‘Evening Glow’ is comparable. Add some pastels to the mix or use complementing hues like “Our Harry” or “Kingfisher.” Our sweet pea supports appear to be quite healthy and full of bloom right now.
Grandiflora Sweet Peas
The ancient sweet pea kinds are truly amazing. Grandiflora sweet peas, Antique sweet peas, or Heritage sweet peas are other names for them. Although their flowers are smaller than those of modern or spencer kinds, their plants are very garden-worthy due to their bushiness and plenty of flowers. Additionally, they are the ideal sweet pea for containers. Grandiflora sweet peas are the ones to cultivate if you want the best-scented sweet peas because of the exceptional amount of perfume they create. The crimson “Queen Alexandra” is shown in the background of this image, with “The Major” in the foreground.
There are more than 50 different types of sweet peas on display in the gardens, and you can purchase our specially selected assortment of sweet pea seeds there or online through our store.
When are sweet peas available?
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, give them something to cling on, such chicken wire, bushy twigs, or brush.
- 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.