SWEET PEA
Sweet peas are easy to grow from seed. There is a wider range of colour and scent if you grow from seed.
Sow indoors from October to November, overwintering young plants in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. You may get earlier blooms this way. Otherwise, sow from January to April.
Outdoor sowing: Sow directly into the ground in March or April, although the results are generally less satisfactory than indoor sowing.
Sow seed individually in root trainers or 9cm (3in) pots filled with seed compost; alternatively plant five to seven seeds to a 13cm (5in) pot, spacing the seeds 2-3cm (¾-1¼in) apart. Cover the seeds with 1cm (½in) of compost.
Water in, cover the pots with clear polythene or glass, and keep at about 15°C (59°F). After germination, remove the covering.
If not sown individually, plant out single seedlings into 9cm (3in) pots once they have reached about 3.5 cm (1½in).
If sown in autumn, transfer the young plants to a cold frame to prevent the seedlings becoming leggy. Over winter, keep the frame opened as much as possible, but protect from heavier frosts.
If sown in spring, harden off young plants before planting out.
Plant out from April onwards, spacing plants 20-30cm (8in-1ft) apart.
Opinions vary, but when growing for the garden it is generally considered beneficial to pinch out tips when plants reach about 10cm (4in). This encourages strong side-branching.
Grow sweet peas in fertile, well-drained, humus-rich soil, in full sun or very light dappled shade. For best results, incorporate organic matter such as garden compost or well-rotted manure at least four weeks before planting, and apply a general fertiliser. On poorer soils, a bi-weekly, high potassium liquid fertiliser such as tomato feed may be beneficial.
Pruning and training
Use dwarf bush-type sweet peas for pots, hanging baskets or as ground cover.
For a long and regular supply of blooms: cut flowers frequently, before they produce seed pods.
Sweet peas are easy to grow from seed. There is a wider range of colour and scent if you grow from seed.
Sow indoors from October to November, overwintering young plants in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. You may get earlier blooms this way. Otherwise, sow from January to April.
Outdoor sowing: Sow directly into the ground in March or April, although the results are generally less satisfactory than indoor sowing.
Sow seed individually in root trainers or 9cm (3in) pots filled with seed compost; alternatively plant five to seven seeds to a 13cm (5in) pot, spacing the seeds 2-3cm (¾-1¼in) apart. Cover the seeds with 1cm (½in) of compost.
Water in, cover the pots with clear polythene or glass, and keep at about 15°C (59°F). After germination, remove the covering.
If not sown individually, plant out single seedlings into 9cm (3in) pots once they have reached about 3.5 cm (1½in).
If sown in autumn, transfer the young plants to a cold frame to prevent the seedlings becoming leggy. Over winter, keep the frame opened as much as possible, but protect from heavier frosts.
If sown in spring, harden off young plants before planting out.
Plant out from April onwards, spacing plants 20-30cm (8in-1ft) apart.
Opinions vary, but when growing for the garden it is generally considered beneficial to pinch out tips when plants reach about 10cm (4in). This encourages strong side-branching.
Grow sweet peas in fertile, well-drained, humus-rich soil, in full sun or very light dappled shade. For best results, incorporate organic matter such as garden compost or well-rotted manure at least four weeks before planting, and apply a general fertiliser. On poorer soils, a bi-weekly, high potassium liquid fertiliser such as tomato feed may be beneficial.
Pruning and training
Use dwarf bush-type sweet peas for pots, hanging baskets or as ground cover.
For a long and regular supply of blooms: cut flowers frequently, before they produce seed pods.