Sow your sweet peas

June to August is the best time to plant summerflowering sweet peas in warm climates. It’s often best to wait until spring if you’re in a cold climate. These old-fashioned favourites germinate at low temperatures. You will also get strong plants if they’re grown in high light and cool conditions. If you sow in autumn (March-April), as overseas books suggest, your plants may grow excessively tall and you won’t be able to reach the flowers.

You can keep sowing successfully up until mid-October.

At planting time, provide a light dose of a fertiliser with modest nitrogen content.