Grown for their gorgeous fragrance and cut flowers, sweet peas are an ever-popular choice for gardeners. If you've been wondering when to sow sweet peas, the fun starts sooner than you'd think.
Whether you're planning to grow sweet peas in pots or the ground, timing is everything when it comes to growing sweet peas from seed. Luckily, Monty Don's gardening wisdom is here to save the day again – and he says you should be sowing your sweet peas right now.
When to sow sweet peas, according to Monty Don
We all know that planting sweet peas outside is usually a springtime job. So why is Monty telling us to start our seeds now?
'By sowing sweet peas in October you will have bigger plants with a stronger root system that should give flowers next spring earlier and last longer,' writes Monty Don on his popular gardening blog.
Josh Novell, garden plants expert and director of Polhill Garden Centre, completely agrees with Monty.
'Sowing peas in October is a smart gardening choice for those seeking strong, healthier plants and earlier blooms,' Josh says. 'This makes them much more resilient and better able to cope with harsh conditions or drought over spring.'
As well as raising stronger plants, sowing sweet peas in October can extend the blooming period. 'By establishing themselves earlier, October sweet peas will typically also flower earlier than those sown in spring, which gives gardeners a longer flowering season,' explains Josh.
Gardening expert Graham Smith MCIHort from LBS Horticulture agrees with Monty's advice, too. 'Sowing sweet peas in October, as advised by Monty Don, will mean that the plants are provided with a few extra months to grow and as a result will have earlier flowers on stronger stems,' he says.
Before you start digging, though, it's important to know that there is a disadvantage to planting your sweet peas in October: your young plants will need a little helping hand over the winter months if the weather is bad.
To combat this, Monty Don hacks the whole 'when to sow sweet peas' problem by planting some in October, as well as a second batch in February to spread the risk.
'I sow three seeds in a three-inch pot, although root-trainers also do the job very well,' he says, urging amateur gardeners to use a good potting compost rather than seed compost. Our gardens editor, Sophie, loves the Dalefoot Wool Compost from Amazon.
Once this is done, Monty Don says that he pops his sweet peas on a windowsill (or in a greenhouse) to allow them the time they need to germinate.
'Once the first leaves have grown, place outside in a cold frame or protected spot,' he continues.
'They only need protection from hard frosts, mice and becoming sodden, so do not provide any extra heat. They will be ready to plant out in April.'
Joseph Clark (of @JoesGarden fame) is also a big fan of the dual planting method.
'By sowing your first batch now, you can enjoy a much earlier display than spring sowings. But, by also sowing in March or April, you will have another round of sweet peas that in my experience will last slightly longer,' says Joseph.
'At this time of the year, the garden is starting to slow down, and there are less jobs to do. This makes it the perfect time to tick this job off the list now, instead of rushing to do it with all the other spring jobs when the garden is all systems go!'
So, what are you waiting for? Stock up on sweet pea seeds and get sowing!
Where to buy sweet pea seeds
- Amazon: A huge selection of sweet pea seeds to choose from
- Crocus: Try the delicate grandiflora sweet pea 'Painted Lady'
- Sarah Raven: Sow sweet pea 'Matucana' for purple and magenta flowers
FAQs
Should you soak sweet peas before sowing?
Many gardeners choose to soak sweet pea seeds for around 24 hours before sowing. The idea is that this softens the hard seed coat, which improves the germination rate.
However, soaking isn't essential – in fact, many gardeners successfully sow sweet peas without this step. It generally all comes down to preference, and what works for one variety might be less helpful for another – much like the debate around whether you should soak spring bulbs before planting.
When should I start my sweet peas indoors?
Don't panic if you don't get your sweet peas planted in the autumn: you can still get a lovely crop of flowers by sowing indoors in seed containers over the winter.
These should be ready to transplant into the garden from April onwards, so long as they've got a few leaves.
Now you know when to sow sweet peas, you can start stocking up your seed tin...
