Perfect for picking, fragrant sweet peas are easy to grow and come in a range of beautiful colours. You can grow them in pots or in the ground, training them up a frame for a beautiful display. Plant sweet peas near a seating area so you can smell them as you sit and relax in the garden. Or pick some for the vase – even a small amount can fill a room with fragrance.
How to grow sweet peas at homePlant sweet pea seeds in autumn or spring. When plants are 10cm tall, pinch out the tips to encourage bushy growth. Plant out in mid-spring and keep well watered. Most varieties have tendrils that will ‘self-cling’ to supports, but some sweet peas will need tying in.
Start feeding sweet peas with a high potash fertiliser (such as tomato food) when flower buds appear. Regular picking encourages more flowers to form, so keep picking those blooms for the vase.
Growing sweet peas: jump linksMore on growing sweet peas:
Plant sweet peas in an open, sunny position in a well-drained but moisture-retentive soil. Sweet peas are well suited to growing in pots – make sure you use a good, peat-free compost with a slow-release fertiliser mixed in.
How to sow sweet peasSweet peas are easy to grow from seed in either autumn or spring. If sowing in autumn ensure you have the room to grow them on in a frost-free place until spring.
Sweet pea seeds germinate relatively easily. But you can help activate germination by nicking the seed coat with a knife, avoiding the ‘eye’ area. Either sow seed in 9cm pots (3 to
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