How to grow Sweet peas in the UK
Climbing flowers with the best smell in the garden. The more you pick, the more they flower.
- DifficultyA bit more care
- WhereBeds or Pots
- Sunfull sun
- Grows to180cm
- Spacing20cm
- Time to first pickabout 16 weeks
- Typeannual
When to sow, plant and harvest sweet peas
| Sow indoors | early October to mid November or mid January to late March |
|---|---|
| Plant out | early April to late May |
| In flower | early June to mid September |
Dates are for central England. Sow about two weeks later in the north and Scotland, and up to two weeks earlier in the south and south west. Get the dates for your postcode.
Starting it indoors
- Fill a small pot or tray with seed compost
- Push the seeds in (1cm deep) - a couple per pot
- Water gently, then put them on a bright windowsill
- Keep the compost damp but not soggy - check it every day
- When they have 2 proper leaves, give each seedling its own pot
Planting it out
- Toughen them up ('hardening off'): put them outside in the day for a week, bring them in at night
- Dig a hole a bit bigger than the pot
- Tip the plant out gently, holding the leaves, not the stem
- Pop it in the hole, firm the soil around it, and water well
- Space the plants about 20cm apart in the row, with rows 30cm apart
Top tips for growing sweet peas
- Soak the seeds overnight before sowing.
- Pinch out the tip when they have 3 pairs of leaves - they get bushier.
Looking after sweet peas
- Week 1: Tie your sweet peas to their canes - they need a hand to start climbing
- Week 6: Pick sweet peas every few days - if they make seed pods they stop flowering
Soil and feeding
Poor soil - really!. Nasturtiums flower best in poor soil. Feed them and you get all leaves and no flowers.
Pests and problems
- Mice: dig up and eat big seeds like peas, beans and sweetcorn
- Slugs & snails: munch seedlings overnight, worst in wet weather
- Start them indoors, so mice can't dig up the seeds
Harvesting and eating sweet peas
Cut them every few days for a vase - they'll keep flowering all summer.
Saving your own sweet peas seed
Late summer, when the pods are dry and rattle.
- Leave a few of the best pods on the plant - don't pick them
- Wait until the pods turn brown and papery and you can hear the seeds rattle
- Pick them on a dry day and pop the seeds out
- Spread them on a plate indoors for 2 weeks to dry completely
Things to build for sweet peas
Where to buy sweet peas seeds
Thompson & Morgan · Suttons · Amazon
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Sweet peas questions
When should I sow sweet peas in the UK?
In the UK, sow sweet peas indoors from early October to mid November or mid January to late March. These dates suit central England; sow about two weeks later in the north and Scotland and up to two weeks earlier in the mild south and south west.
When do I plant out sweet peas?
Plant sweet peas out from early April to late May.
When can I enjoy sweet peas?
Sweet peas is ready from early June to mid September. Cut them every few days for a vase - they'll keep flowering all summer.
How long do sweet peas take to grow?
Roughly 16 weeks from sowing or planting until the first harvest.
Are sweet peas easy to grow?
Sweet peas are rated 'a bit more care' for beginners, and can be grown in the ground or a raised bed or in pots and containers.
Plan your own garden: it tells you what to do and when, for your postcode.
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