Sweet Peas ‘Fresh Linen’

A gorgeous combination of long stemmed fresh crisp white and cream blooms collected from Florets ‘Grower’s Choice Bridal Bouquet Mix’. These highly fragrant varieties are perfect for wedding work or those with a love of crisp white and green floral arrangement for your home. The aromatherapy properties of sweet peas are said to stimulate creativity, lift one’s mood and soothe anxiety. 

*Please note: Sweet pea seeds are poisonous if ingested. Use caution around pets and children. 

Details:

Plant type: Hardy Annual / Hardy Annual Climber

Sow In: Spring / Autumn

Germination: 10-14 days

Height: 1.8 cms

Site: Full Sun

Plant spacing: 15-20 cm

Pinch: remove growing tip when plant has 3-4 pairs of leaves

Approx seeds per packet: 12

How to Plant:

sowing sweet pea seeds

Sweet peas have a hard seed coat. To help them germinate you can pre soak them in water for 24 hrs. This can reduce their germination rate by about 4-5 days however I find this is not necessary. To sow the seed, use general potting mix and sow 2 seeds per pot. Approx 5cm wide and 10cm in height. Sweet peas love to grow deep roots. Loo rolls are the perfect size W and H by encouraging the roots to grow down deep. Dampen the soil first, place 2 seeds on the surface then using your finger push each seed 2-3 cm into the potting mix (approx distance of tip pointer finger to 1st knuckle). Gently cover the seed. Check on their germination and don’t water again until you see their little heads coming through approx 10-14 days.

When your little seedlings have 3-4 pairs of leaves, pinch out the leader or top section of growth using you thumb and finger. This signals for the plant to develop lots of side shoots to extend the number of growing vines from which will the flowers develop.

Check on your little plants frequently and if the soil is dry give them a light water.

planting your sweet peas

They’re ready to plant out when their little white roots are visible at the bottom of the pot. 
They are frost tolerant. They are hungry little plants so before planting amend the soil to a depth of 30cm with rich compost, animal manure, dynamic lifter and garden lime if soil pH is less than 7. Plant your sweet peas along side a vertical support like a trellis or netting for the vines to climb. Surround them with slug prevention. As they grow make sure you gently tie the vines to the frame so as they are supported and can put more energy into delighting you with new flowers and growth. This can sometimes be necessary every week during the peak growing phase. Mulch with sugarcane straw around the base to prevent weeds competing for nutrients and also to help maintain adequate moisture in the soil.  

Feed your sweet peas with a liquid fertiliser such as a tomato feed each week and once they begin to flower start picking those flowers, bringing them indoors to delight your olfactory and visual senses! Fill your vases and remember the delight in also sharing with loved ones and neighbours. Don’t let them go to seed on the vine as this will trigger them to stop flowering and put their energy into forming seed. Once they’re tired they will start flowering on shorter stems. Keep them watered and once their seed pods have dried to resemble rough sand paper they’re ready for you to harvest and keep for next seasons planting.