Sweet Pea April in Paris Seeds

Some gardeners like to soak their sweet pea seeds before they sow them, and others might tell you to scratch or even sand the seeds with sandpaper. This is to soften the seed coat on the seeds, in theory allowing for better germination. However, in practice, it’s not really necessary. In our trials, we rigorously test every plant variety to ensure good germination and plant health. So, when it comes to sowing your sweet pea seeds, you can sow them directly into the compost, making sure to give them a good watering afterwards. 

Sweet peas are very easy to look after. They just like good peat-free compost, garden compost or well-rotted manure, with plenty of nutrients to power their prolific flowering. If you’re planting your sweet pea plants in pots, simply fill the pot with fresh compost. If you’re planting into the ground, just add a good handful of compost into the planting hole along with your sweet pea plant. 

Sweet peas like well-drained soil, but do try not to let them dry out when they’re in flower. They’ll also do well with a liquid feed several times through their flowering season. Remember to pick them as much as you can, to ensure more blooms continue to form! 

Sweet peas are climbing plants, which makes them excellent for training up trellises, fences and other vertical supports. If well supported, they can reach up to 2m tall, creating a striking display of flowers. 

When your sweet pea plants are young, you’ll need to tie the new growth to their supports, but they’ll quickly develop their own tendrils, which allow them to self-cling. Sweet peas look most effective with several plants close together, so they grow into a curtain of blooms.