How to grow Sweet Peas

The easiest way to get beautiful, sweet peas is to sow the seeds indoors at room temperature. You can sow in early spring. After just under two weeks, when the worst of the winter is over, you can take your plants outside.

When the sprouts are about 5-7 cm high, put the pot outside, still in its plastic bag. Water a little if it feels dry. Exposing the plants to the cold makes them strong and healthy. They should be hardened and feel good about it. Plants withstand down to minus 8 degrees (–8° Celsius). If it gets colder, you can temporarily bring the pot inside or cover it with a cultivation cloth. Leave the pot outside until you find it tempting to work outside.

Now it's time to replant, which means to divide the plants and put them in their respective pots, before it's time to put them in their final place. Alternatively, you can place them at their final destination directly. The plants should be planted in well-worked, well-fertilized soil in a sunny or semi-shady position. Place with approx. 10–15 cm distance and 60–100 cm distance between rows. If you plant in a large pot, at least 20 litres, about 5 plants will fit. Pot cultivation requires careful watering and fertilization! The plants need support from e.g. hazel branches, birch bark, reinforcing mats or trellis. The tall sweet pea varieties grow 180–300 cm high.

Fertilize continuously with e.g. chicken manure. Water the roots thoroughly with a watering can when it is dry. Do not use water sprinklers, which destroy the flowers. Pick flowers all the time, every day and preferably early morning or late evening. As soon as the plant sets seed, it stops blooming. The more you pick, the more sweet peas bloom.