Q&A - Sweet peas

Our Q & A's on Sweet Peas will help you answer your gardening queries on growing sweet peas.

If you have a question you would like an answer to why not email us at questions@plantconnection.co.uk

Q. I have saved some seeds from sweet peas which I was given and planted last year. When is the best time to plant them and what is the correct procedure?

A. You can plant your sweet peas from October to April. However if you sow the bulk of seed in February and harden them off outside as soon as is possible, they should be in flower by early summer. For very early flowers, some people sow them as early as October and slowly introduce them to the cold, so that by Jan/ Feb they are hardened off enough to start growing outside.

Sow seeds into deep pots of seed compost spacing them 2-3cm (1") apart.

You can 'chip' the hard seed coat, as some people believe this quickens germination. Use a sharp penknife to make a small cut in the seed coat opposite the 'eye'.

Sow seeds 1cm (half inch) deep. Water in well. Cover with a bag or square of glass and keep at about 15 centigrade (59 farenheight).

Once seedlings are showing remove bag/glass. They can then be transfered to a cold frame or unheated greenhouse/windowsill.

You can put outside on days that are above 5 centigrade to acclimatise them to outdoor temps.

Pinch out growing tips of autumn sown seedlings when they are 10cm (4") high to encourage branching. Pinch spring sown seedlings just above the first true pair of leaves.

Plant out overwintered plants in early spring. Those that are early Feb sown in late spring. Choose a sunny, open well drained site.Add some compost and well rotted manure for better soil if required.

Q. Can you please give me some tips on how to fix sweet peas to a fence

A. Sweet Peas will do very well growing against a fence. The best way to get them to grow up it is to buy some plastic netting (2cm or smaller squares). Nail it on or you can use drawing pins for ease of taking down again later, making sure to start it close to the bottom of the fence and check the finalgrowing height(normally around 6ft). Netting is by far the bast choice as sweet peas do not have climbing stems, like beans suited to a pole. All peas have small tendrils and will find it very easy to to grip to the netting.