When should I sow my sweet pea seeds?

Sow sweet pea seeds between October and April. For best results aim for late October/November or late February/March as temperatures and light levels are less than ideal in midwinter. Sweet peas can also be sown direct into the ground in April or May.

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Is it too late to plant sweet peas NZ?

They’re easy to grow too. Some gardeners sow then in autumn, but in New Zealand we can sow them from June to August and successively up until mid-October.

How do you grow sweet peas from seed NZ?

Sweet Pea Growing Guide Sweet peas are usually best directly sown into the garden. To assist germination, seeds should be nicked or soaked in water for several hours, to soften the seed coating. Seed can be sown outdoors from March to early June in a sunny, well drained site.

What are the best sweet pea seeds?

Sweet Pea ‘Border Beauty’ We have found Border Beauty to be the best in its class. While technically it has a blue wire edge this serves to outline the flower and make it stand out. It has a delicious scent and makes a robust plant four flowers on each stem.

Should I soak sweet pea seeds before planting?

Soak the seeds in water for 24 hours before sowing. This softens the seed coat and speeds up the sprouting process. While the seeds are soaking, fill your planting pots with good quality potting soil. Sweet peas produce abundant roots, so use the deepest pots you can find.

Is it best to soak sweet pea seeds before planting?

Can you plant sweet pea seeds straight into the ground?

You can sow them into pots of compost in autumn and overwinter the young plants in a cold frame or cool greenhouse. Or, you can wait until spring when you can sow into pots or directly into the ground. To prepare the seeds, leave them on moist kitchen roll until they swell or sprout.

What is the strongest smelling sweet pea?

Said to be the most powerfully scented sweet pea available, ‘Matucana’ has small, but powerfully scented bi-coloured flowers.

What is the best variety of sweet peas to grow?

The best scented sweet peas

Lathyrus ‘Karen Louise’
Lathyrus ‘Janet Scott’
Lathyrus ‘Black Knight’
Lathyrus ‘Bramdean’
Lathyrus ‘Fire and Ice’
Lathyrus ‘Flora Norton’
Lathyrus ‘King Edward VII’ (pictured)
Lathyrus ‘Mrs Collier’

Do sweet peas need full sun?

Make sure you plant the sweet peas outside after the last frost date in your area. Choose a spot in full sun or very light dappled shade with rich, well-drained soil. Add plenty of organic matter in the weeks before you plant the seedlings out.

Do you need to soak sweet pea seeds before planting?

Many people recommend soaking seeds overnight before sowing to help them germinate. This is because some varieties have a hard outer shell. However, others suggest that soaking may lead to weaker plants. Generally, sweet peas should germinate fine without any treatment.

Do sweet peas need sun or shade?

Where to grow sweet peas. Plant sweet peas in an open, sunny position in a well-drained but moisture-retentive soil. Sweet peas are well suited to growing in pots – make sure you use a good, peat-free compost with a slow-release fertiliser mixed in.

What is the best variety of sweet pea?

Grandiflora Sweet Peas They are also the best sweet pea for containers. Their standout quality is the remarkable amount of scent they produce so if you want the best scented sweet peas then grandifloras are the ones to grow.

What’s the best sweet peas?

The best scented sweet peas

Lathyrus ‘Albutt Blue’
Lathyrus ‘America’
Lathyrus ‘Matucana’
Lathyrus ‘Erewhon’
Lathyrus ‘Karen Louise’
Lathyrus ‘Janet Scott’
Lathyrus ‘Black Knight’
Lathyrus ‘Bramdean’

Will slugs eat sweet peas?

Slugs find soft, succulent, fleshy foliage and stems particularly delicious. Plants that require a little extra protection include: Sweet peas.

Will sweet peas climb a fence?

Sweet peas develop curly tendrils that allow them to climb up fences and trellises, creating a magical feel. They are easy to grow in many climates with adequate preparation for the growing season.

How long does it take sweet pea seeds to germinate?

7 to 15 days
How to Grow Sweet Peas. Once planted, germination can take 7 to 15 days, depending on the soil temperature. As seedlings emerge and grow, gradually fill in the trench. Hoe more soil up to them.

Will sweet pea come back every year?

There are annual and perennial types of sweet pea flowers. The annuals, Lathyrus odoratus, are usually highly fragrant climbers that last for one season and have to be sown fresh every year. The perennial or ‘everlasting’ types, Lathyrus latifolius, come back every spring, but most have little to no scent.

Which compost is best for sweet peas?

Use a good quality multipurpose compost or John Innes No 3 compost. Although sweet peas will tolerate a little drought they should be kept watered in dry weather or they will get mildew. In containers make sure they are given weekly liquid fertiliser to keep them growing and flowering.