There are two main reasons for growing Sweet Peas – either for garden decoration/house blooms or for Show purposes. The latter is a much more elaborate system and the one I will concentrate on.

But first most of you will know that if you plant Sweet Pea seeds in your garden in April ,after the soil has warmed up, keep the soil damp but not water logged they will sprout and the heads of the young plants will push through the soil surface in a couple of weeks. Then provided you supply some support in the shape of canes/twigs the plant will grow and give a plentiful display of flowers. However the snag with this system is that the flowers will be on the small side, the stems will be thin, short, and probably twisted & bent. These will be suitable for house blooms but not for the show bench.

Ground Preparation

Sweet Peas, like ordinary peas & beans, require plenty of moisture but also well drained soil. Where you decide to plant your rows of Sweet Peas dig two trenches approx. 2 feet apart ,12 inches deep, and fill-in with well rotted compost /manure. This is best done in autumn but can be done in late winter. Mark where your trench has been dug!! In April scatter some fertiliser (Growmore is ideal) in the top few inches.

Sowing of Seeds

Seeds may be sown in Autumn or Spring (Feb/March), without any material difference, in individual 3.5 inch pots using ordinary potting compost. The intention is to avoid any root disturbance when planting the seedlings outdoors and to this end I use the cardboard inners of toilet rolls which when planted out rot away. I fill the cardboard roll with compost, firming gently, water well, allow to drain, then insert the seed approx. 0.5 inch below the surface. The place them somewhere warm – airing cupboard, greenhouse, propagator – and cover with a newspaper. Young plants should appear within 10 days and 3 days after that remove the newspaper and give them full sunlight.

You can buy specially designed black plastic tubes or manufactured box like containers which can be –used, but these all cost money.

If a seed has not germinated try “chipping” – remove a small piece of skin on the opposite side of the seed to the “eye”, but this should not usually be necessary

The plants should now be kept cool; they will withstand frost down to -10F once they have been hardened-off. Root development is more important than the growth of the stems which should be discouraged by keeping the plants cool.

Cordon System

Whilst the small plants are growing it is a good opportunity to construct the system each one will require. The system I use is the cordon one where 8 feet canes are tied to a wire 5 feet from the ground at a slight angle spaced about 12 inches apart, this is done on both sides of the wire alternately. The canes should be shoved approximately 12/18 inches deep into the two trenches dug previously.  

Planting Out

As the soil warms in April/May plant the seedlings, still in their cardboard rolls which will rot away, two inches to the side of their cane support and water-in.

As the young seedlings begin to grow tie them to the canes with string/rings until the leading stem is approx. 16in. high when it must be removed to allow the more powerful side shoots to develop. However only allow 1 or 2 side shoots to climb up the cane and ensure that all the strength of the plant is concentrated into these 1 or 2 stems by removing all other side shoots that may appear and all tendrils, so that the plant has to be supported by ties to its cane. By June the plants should be in full flower and the more you cut the more will appear.

Feed with solid or liquid fertilisers and keep the site weed free, and you should have a constant supply of flowers. Do not forget to keep cutting the flowers to prevent them going to seed and to keep tying the plant stems to the canes to stop them snapping in any strong winds especially in exposed areas.

Preparing for Show

• Pick flowers with strong, long, straight stems with at least four well placed blooms each one fully opened. The blooms should be free from colour running, spotting, scorching and insect damage.

• Bent stems may be straightened by rubbing the stem gently between your fingers and applying gentle pressure.

• Always take extra blooms when staging your entries as accidents can happen

• Always take care in staging your entries as this may prove crucial in a close contest.

Pests & Problems

• Slugs: prevent damage to young plants when planted out by us of pellets or other deterrents.

• Mice: like sweet pea seeds so set traps or get a cat, must admit I have not had a problem.

• Aphids: spray with weak systemic aphicide if problem occurs.

• Bud Drop: this occurs when the buds on the stems do not develop and just drop off the stems when touched. The is nothing you can do about this has it is believed to be caused by fluctuations in temperature earlier in the year (April/May)

• Layering – when the plant reaches the top of the cane the ties should be removed carefully, the plant laid along the ground and then train up another cane 4/5 feet away three/four days later. This should be done a minimum of 4 weeks before the date of any show so that the plant will be growing strongly again. Care should be taken not to damage the stem.

Suggested Varieties

I would suggest anyone keen on showing should concentrate on 4/5 varieties (say 10 seeds of each) obtainable from a specialist such as Matthewmans or Diane Sewell. Varieties include: Sarah Kennedy, Richard & July, Charlie’s Angels, etc.