Sweet Pea Seeds

the endless possibilities of sweet peas

First popularized in England during the Victorian era, traditional varieties of this charming, old-fashioned annual can grow vines up to six feet or more in length. Decorate an arbor with Eden Brothers' Old Spice Sweet Pea Seed Mix, or go for a variety of blue or purple shades. Mix and match your own colors with options like Prince of Orange Sweet Pea Seeds and Royal Scarlet Sweet Pea Seeds. Use sweet pea as a backdrop for cottage garden plants like tulips or peonies. Prefer a perennial? Try one of our everlasting pea varieties. Dwarf cultivars such as Eden Brothers' Sweetheart Sweet Pea Seed Mix, Knee-High Sweet Pea Seed Mix, and Bijou Sweet Pea Seed Mix may adorn garden borders with their abbreviated, vase-ready stalks or be grown in hanging baskets for curtains of flowers.

planting your own sweet pea seeds

Sweet peas like well-drained, alkaline soil mixed with compost or manure. Soak seeds for up to 24 hours before planting and nick seed casing to speed germination. As sweet peas (like most peas) are cool weather plants, they should be planted as soon as the soil can be worked in order to maximize their growing season before the heat of summer wilts them. In USDA zone 8 or above, they can be planted in late fall, and seeds won't require soaking or nicking. Below zone 6, it may be better to start seeds indoors and transplant out. Germination can take upto two weeks, but your patience will be rewarded when the first twining tendrils begin winding their way upward. Make sure vining varieties have plenty of support.

sweet pea flower care

Sweet pea plants in the north should be planted in full sun, while those further south may need shade in the hottest parts of the afternoon. Plants will bloom in early to mid spring and, in cooler climates, may bloom into summer. Encourage plants to branch out by pinching off the central stem once they reach six inches. Remove dying flowers and any seed pods that appear to keep the plant producing more blossoms. Their flowering season can be extended by mulching well over the roots to keep them cool, or using a groundcover plant such as Eden Brothers' Johnny Jump Up Seeds or Blue Carpet Lobelia Seeds.

For more information about planting, growing, and caring for sweet pea seed, see our Sweet Pea Seeds Planting Guide.