Sweet peas are usually highly scented and rated for their beautiful flowers, which come in a wide range of colours. As annuals, they only live for a year.
PLANTING: The recommended time for planting sweet peas is from mid-March onwards. Plant in an open sunny site, 20-30cm apart, against a fence covered with pea net or a wigwam of canes to allow them to scramble upwards.
SOIL: They benefit from well cultivated soil that has had a little well-rotted manure or compost added.
CARE: To keep them flowering, feed with a high potash liquid fertiliser, such as tomato feed, once or twice a week. Picking the flowers on a regular basis helps the plants last for longer. If aphids become a problem, spray with a general insecticide. Slugs may also chew sweet pea leaves and very young stems. Various products can be used to stop slugs.
Both downy mildew (grey furry patches on the undersides of leaves) and powdery mildew (a white powdery coating on leaves and stems) are sometimes found on sweet peas. Both can be treated with a general fungicide.
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information given both on our lists and labels. However, some details may vary according to special or geographical circumstances. Varieties offered are subject to availability.
