The colorful and fragrant sweet pea may be a favorite in cottage gardens, and other informal garden styles. it’s most frequently seen trained up stakes or structures, but also can be left to make mounds or planted in containers where it spills over the edges . for several folks , fast-growing sweet peas are a moment nostalgic reminder of the gorgeous , rambunctious gardens maintained by our grandparents. consistent with the Old Farmer’s Almanac, plant your sweet peas in late winter or early spring. Sweet peas are very easy to grow, and that they provide season-long color provided the spent blooms are routinely removed.

Sweet Pea Care

Sweet pea (Latin name Lathyrus odoratus), may be a climbing annual member of the legume genus. Originating within the southwest of Italy and therefore the islands of the Mediterranean, sweet pea has been cultivated to be used in gardens since the 17th century. It reached its modern forms under the work of Scottish nurseryman Henry Eckford, who developed dozens of cultivars during the late 1800s.

Sweet peas are climbing plants that bear clusters of flowers during a big variety of colours including red, pink, blue, white, and lavender. they’re early summer flowers with an extended season of bloom and make excellent cut flowers. The flowers resemble fringed butterflies while their stems appear to be folded. Luckily, the stems are sturdy enough to carry up their profuse blooms.

The old-fashioned varieties were selected for his or her vibrant colors and intense fragrance. Many modern cultivars are on the market offering sweet peas in almost every color except yellow, but not all of the newer sweet pea varieties are fragrant. The mature size will depend upon the variability you select to grow but expect the vines to stretch to a minimum of 6 to eight feet tall.

Sweet peas lend a cottage feel to gardens. they’re often grown on bamboo tripods, but they’re going to gladly grow through shrubby plants, much within the same way that clematis is usually used. Sweet peas also work well during a kitchen garden , attracting bees and other pollinators needed. they will be grown along the fence or mixed in with the pole beans. an alternative choice is to permit sweet peas to grow during a clumping mound which will achieve a height of about 2 1/2 feet.

There are few pests or problems related to sweet peas. Groundhogs and rabbits, however, will eat the seedlings, so protecting them with a sprig repellent may be a good idea once they are first within the ground.

Light

Sweet peas thrive fully sun, although in warmer climates they are doing well during a location that receives partial sun, especially within the heat of the afternoon. within the South, you’ll have better luck seeding sweet peas within the fall to grow into winter.

Soil

Sweet peas prefer rich but well-drained soil. a rather alkaline soil pH (about 7.5) is right .

Water

Sweet peas need weekly watering, to stay the soil moist during the season .

Temperature and Humidity

Because sweet peas originated within the Mediterranean, they will handle a rare chill but do best if they’re planted after the last frost and in warmer temperatures in USDA zones 2-11.

Fertilizer

During the season , sweet peas require steady, regular feeding and watering. Feed them monthly with a fertilizer high in potassium, like a tomato fertilizer. Adding a touch of feed to the soil is assumed to assist keep the stems long and suitable for cutting.

Is Sweet Pea Toxic?

Unlike other sorts of this genus, sweet peas are toxic and therefore the seeds shouldn’t be ingested by humans, pets, or livestock.

Symptoms of Poisoning

Symptoms of toxicity for humans and animals include weakness, lethargy, breathing difficulty, and paralysis. Call your doctor, poison control, or your veterinarian immediately upon discovering ingestion.

Sweet Pea Varieties

• ‘Old fashioned’: Sweet peas labeled quaint should be very fragrant.
• Spencer cultivars: These are especially hardy vines with striking coloring, but not all of them are particularly fragrant.
• ‘Bijou Group’: this is often a sweetly scented dwarf variety suitable for containers.

Pruning

Most sweet pea varieties will begin blooming in late spring or early summer. The more you narrow the flowers, the foremost blooms you ought to get, so don’t hesitate to bring some bouquets indoors. Deadhead the spent flowers to encourage continued blooming.

How to Grow Sweet Pea From Seed

Sweet peas are usually direct sown. to help germination, seeds should be scarified by nicking and/or soaking in water for several hours to melt the seed coating. Seed are often started outdoors, as soon because the ground has warmed to about 50 degrees Fahrenheit and isn’t too wet.

You can get a jump start on the season by starting seed indoors, about four to 5 weeks before your last frost date. they’re going to be easier to transplant if you begin them in peat. once you are able to transplant, pinch any flowers or buds off which will have formed, which can encourage root development. They like cool soil, so a thick layer of mulch round the plants may help sweet peas thrive.

When the plants reach about 3 to six inches tall within the garden, pinch the seedlings to encourage strong side shoots. Sweet pea vines have tendrils and can attach themselves to most any sort of support that has meshing or strings.