Sweet Pea Horizon Mixed Seeds

Sweet peas are very forgiving plants, so you can grow them in a range of spots, including pots. They like a sunny position, and a good peat-free compost that is free-draining but not too dry. Choose a good, deep pot, so the roots have plenty of depth to grow into, and don’t let them dry out during the hot summer months. Your sweet peas will thank you for a feed with liquid fertiliser during the flowering season. 

When it comes to supporting your sweet peas as they grow, you can get creative. Many gardeners opt for bamboo canes, arches or trellis, but you can use anything that you have to hand in the garden. Coppiced Hazel sticks or Apple tree prunings, are ideal for sweet pea supports. Lines of garden twine tacked onto a fence work a treat, or you could even use an upcycled metal garden gate for a romantic effect. 

You may need to tie in the young growth, but once your sweet peas develop their clinging tendrils, they’ll happily scramble up their supports unassisted. 

Sweet peas are hardy annuals, which means that although they only live for one growing season, they’re pretty tolerant of cold temperatures - they’ll even survive a light frost. If you’ve grown your sweet pea seedlings in an unheated greenhouse or cold frame, you can plant them out into their final growing position from March onwards. If a late frost is forecast, it’s a good idea to throw a little fleece over them to protect the young leaves.