Don showed how easy it is to pot up some dwarf sweet peas for an impressive result. Sweet pea seeds are traditionally sown on St. Patrick’s Day (March 17), but in cool climates they can be sown in August and September. At this time of year sweet pea seedlings are also available in punnets.
You’ll need
What to do
Dwarf sweet pea ‘Bijou’
Don used ‘Bijou’, a dwarf sweet pea that reaches a height of around 60cm. The colourful, fragrant flowers are as large as those of the tall varieties, and are borne on 20cm stems. ‘Bijou’ sweet peas are ideal for pots, window boxes or unstaked as a groundcover.
Caring for sweet peas To grow well, sweet peas need plenty of sun (at least six hours per day). Don’t use too much fertiliser (particularly high nitrogen fertiliser) or the plants will produce lush green leaves but very few flowers. Prolong the display by removing spent flowers. Do not overwater.
‘Bijou’ sweet peas are available from nurseries and garden centres, and cost around $4 per punnet. 1.5 metre bamboo stakes cost about $4.50 for a packet of 10.