Sowing & Growing

Sow sweet pea seeds either indoors in October for later transplanting outdoors in spring or directly outdoors from March to April. For autumn sowings, plant three seeds per 7.5cm pot in well-draining seed-sowing compost at a depth of 1cm. Keep them in a propagator or seal the container inside a plastic bag at a temperature of 20-25°C until germination, which typically takes 10-21 days. Once germinated, grow the sweet peas in cooler conditions before moving them to a cold frame for overwintering. For spring sowings, plant seeds directly into drills outdoors at a depth of 2.5cm with a spacing of 7.5cm between seeds. Pinch out the growing points of each stem once the second pair of leaves has opened to encourage bushier growth. In spring, transplant sweet peas to a well-drained garden soil with full sun, spacing them 23cm (9″) apart. Train the stems onto a suitable support like trellis or a freestanding climbing frame, using sweet pea support rings to tie the stems to their supports as they establish themselves.