Flowers · Seeds
Sweet pea
Lathyrus odoratus
A scented annual climber with flowers in pinks, purples and whites through summer, if you keep cutting them. It wants a cool root, sun on the flowers, and something to climb.
Growing conditions
Soilclay, loam
Moisturemoist, well-drained
pHneutral, alkaline
Position
SunFull sun
Aspecteast, south, west
Exposuresheltered
HardinessH3
Size
Time to maturityFlowers about 12–14 weeks after a spring sowing
Max height1.8–2.2 m
Max spread0.3–0.4 m
In the garden
Sow in autumn under cover in mild gardens, or in late winter indoors. Plant out in spring beside pea sticks or netting, and water in dry spells.
Slugs shred seedlings. Pollen beetles sit in the flowers. Mice take outdoor sowings.
Colour and scent
A mark in a season means the plant is doing that for at least part of it.
| Season | Foliage | Flower | Scent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Leaves | — | — |
| Summer | Leaves | pink and purple | Scented |
| Autumn | Leaves | pink and purple | Scented |
| Winter | — | — | — |
- JanDormant
- FebDormant
- MarDormant
- AprDormant
- MayFoliage
- Junpink and purple
- Julpink and purple
- Augpink and purple
- Seppink and purple
- OctDormant
- NovDormant
- DecDormant
Jobs
These dates suit a mild southern garden. A northern or Scottish plan shifts spring and autumn jobs by a fortnight.
20 October
Sow in pots
In a mild garden, sow sweet peas in deep pots in autumn and keep them in a cold frame.
20 February
Sow indoors
If you missed the autumn sowing, sow indoors in late winter and grow the seedlings cool and bright.
15 May
Plant out
Plant sweet peas beside their support after hardening off, and pinch out the tips.
10 July
Cut often
Pick flowers every few days. Once seed pods form, the plant slows down.