sweet pea 'Old Fashioned mixed'
sweet pea - Lathyrus odoratus Old Fashioned mixed
A charming blend of traditional sweet peas, packed with fragrance and soft, romantic colour from June through to October. These vigorous climbers quickly scramble up trellis, arches or obelisks, creating a full wall of blooms that keeps on giving all summer.
Brilliant for cutting, the more you pick the more they flower, and their scent and nectar-rich blooms are a magnet for pollinators in the garden. While the flowers are shorter than the Spencer types, they have excellent fragrance.
Brilliant for cutting, the more you pick the more they flower, and their scent and nectar-rich blooms are a magnet for pollinators in the garden. While the flowers are shorter than the Spencer types, they have excellent fragrance.
How to care for Lathyrus odoratus Old Fashioned mixed:
After the risk of frost has passed, and before spring planting, incorporate lots of well-rotted organic matter in the planting area and backfill. Once planted out, keep sweet peas well-watered, especially during dry spells, as they dislike drying out. Tie in the stems regularly to their supports to keep them upright and prevent tangling. Feed every couple of weeks with a high-potash fertiliser once flowering starts to encourage continuous blooms.
Remove faded flowers promptly to prevent seed pods forming, as this will prolong flowering. Keep an eye out for pests such as aphids and treat early to prevent damage. Regular picking not only keeps the display going but also provides plenty of blooms for the house.
Remove faded flowers promptly to prevent seed pods forming, as this will prolong flowering. Keep an eye out for pests such as aphids and treat early to prevent damage. Regular picking not only keeps the display going but also provides plenty of blooms for the house.
Sowing instructions:
From October to late February, sow seeds into deep pots or root trainers filled with a good-quality seed compost and place them in a cold frame. Pinch out the tips as the plants grow to encourage them to become bushier and produce more flowers, and harden off before planting out in early April.
Direct sowing can also be made in October, where plants will be more advanced for the following year, or March-April. It is important to remove the faded flowers before they set seed, so picking them to fill a vase inside will only encourage more to form.
Direct sowing can also be made in October, where plants will be more advanced for the following year, or March-April. It is important to remove the faded flowers before they set seed, so picking them to fill a vase inside will only encourage more to form.
Flowering period:
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Eventual height:
1.8m
Eventual spread:
0.45m
Position:
Full sun
Rate of growth:
Fast-growing
Soil:
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness:
Frost tender
-
Humans/Pets: Pods and seeds are not edible
approx 30 seeds
£2.99
available to order from spring
Unavailable
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