Pop In Your Peas

With the first frost this week it’s hard to think about spring days to come but come they will.

If you can spare just five minutes this weekend you are still in time to sow a few sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus).

“But why do I have to do it now”? I hear you cry, well the advantages from sowing sweet peas in the autumn are so real and substantial that there should be no need for argument, sweet pea experts all agree that autumn is the best time to sow as this ensures that by March or April plants have bushy top growth and extensive root systems just at the time when many gardeners are sowing their

The spring-sown plants never catch up. Autumn-sown plants are also more vigorous, more resilient in dry conditions, they flower for longer and flowers are larger – have I convinced you yet? Good, well here’s what to do:

For best results sow seeds in trays of roottrainers, the roots have plenty of depth to grow and, when planting, there is little or no disturbance as each block of cells is hinged for easy removal of the plants.

They come in blocks of four, each 5” (12.5cm) deep, in packs of 32 and each pack has its own stand. Fill with compost mixed with a little soil to help retain nutrients, sow a single seed in each cell. Make sure the roots are never waterlogged and keep in good light a cold frame would be ideal.

I don’t know about you but the stronger perfume to my sweet peas the better, these are favoured by the old-fashioned varieties, if you feel the same give these a try:

Lathyrus ‘Matucana’ – lovely bi-colour flowers in crimson and purple

Lathyrus ‘Painted Lady’ – beautiful deep and pale pink peas

Lathyrus ‘Black Knight’ – a lovely dark crimson

Lathyrus ‘Lord Nelson’ – a rich navy purple sweet pea

But don’t panic, if it is all too much, you can order autumn-sown sweet pea plants from a variety of suppliers.