Sweet Pea
Lathyrus odoratus
Sweet peas are climbing annuals with ruffled, deliciously scented flowers in pastel and rich colours. They are a winter favourite for trellises and cut flowers, and the more you pick, the more they bloom.
Photo: Aftabbanoori · CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Full sun
Watering
Moderate
Keep the soil evenly moist; dry soil shortens the flowering season.
Soil
Deep, rich, well-drained soil; pH 6.5–7.5.
Temperature and humidity
2–25 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Feed every two weeks with a potassium-rich liquid fertilizer.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by seed
Pinch the tips at 10 cm to encourage branching, and pick flowers often.
The seeds and pods are toxic if eaten. They are not edible like garden peas.
Top Cultivation Tips
Nick or soak seeds before sowing.
Sow in October–November.
Give a net or twiggy sticks to climb.
Remove seed pods to keep flowers coming.
Common problems
Aphids
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new shoots and buds, sucking sap and leaving sticky honeydew behind.
How to treat it →DiseaseBud drop
Flower buds yellow and fall before opening, usually because the plant has been stressed by changes in water, light or temperature.
How to treat it →DiseasePowdery mildew
A fungal disease that coats leaves, buds and young shoots with a white, flour-like dust, weakening the plant and spoiling flowers and fruit.
How to treat it →PestWoodlice
Grey, many-legged crustaceans that mostly eat dead plant matter but also nibble seedlings, soft roots and fruit resting on damp soil.
How to treat it →
