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Best Sweet Peas Seeds For Scent And Cutting
4 December 2024
Sweet peas are a gardener’s dream and carry a legacy of fragrance and colour. These climbing lovelies with their ruffled flowers have been in gardens since the 17th century, bewitching gardeners with their scent and colours. Perfect for scent and cutting for fresh flower displays in the home, sweet peas are a sensory treat that will turn your home into a fragrant haven.
Once a wildflower, sweet peas were bred up to be a showstopper through careful selection and breeding, they are a product of the Victorian era’s love of horticulture. Now they make us think of English cottage gardens and nostalgia.
Best Sweet Peas Seeds for Scent and Cutting Varieties
Sweet peas bewitch us with their tiny flowers and scent. Choosing the right variety is key to a garden full of colour and fragrance. Some sweet peas varieties with strong scent can turn a simple garden path into a sensory experience. Modern grandiflora varieties with big, beautiful flowers and distinct scents are the most appealing. If you’re after this sensory delight, ‘High Scent’ and ‘Heaven’ are top of the list, they have a powerful scent that will please.
When looking for a sweet pea for cutting it’s important to consider stem length and bloom size. Floral arrangements love varieties with long, strong stems and big, showy flowers. Frilly flowers with their pretty features add to the visual appeal. ‘Spencer Wave Mixed’ or ‘King Size Mixed’ are good for this purpose, they have both visual appeal and structural integrity for bouquets.
Sweet peas love well prepared soil with plenty of organic matter. They climb so trellises or supports are essential for their tendrils to grip. Keep an eye out for pests like aphids and prevent diseases like powdery mildew and your sweet peas will thrive. Varieties that have gained a garden merit, like the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit, are a benchmark for robust, fragrant and beautiful plants.
£1.49
High Scent produces white blooms.....
Average Contents : 30 seeds
How to Plant and Care for Sweet Peas
Sweet peas charm us with their delicate tendrils and scent. Imagine a garden where they grow in abundance, their colours a feast for the eyes and their scent a perfume in the air. To create such magic let’s get into the nitty gritty of planting and caring for them.
Sweet Pea Seed Sowing
When spring arrives sweet pea seeds wake up from their sleep. You’ll want to sow them as the frost goes out and they can have the whole growing season. Here’s a few tips to help you on your journey:
Make sure they have a sunny spot to grow up to.
Spacing is important, give them room to spread.
Plant depth is important, just an inch below the soil.
Pre-soak seeds overnight for a jump start on germination.
Ongoing Care
Once seedlings emerge they’ll need your attention:
Water them well but don’t drown them.
Feed them a balanced fertiliser to help them grow.
Support their climb with trellises or poles
Using Sweet Peas
Sweet peas with their lovely scent and colours are a gardener’s delight. Here’s your how to guide for harvesting and using them.
How to Harvest for Long Lasting Blooms
Cut sweet peas at the right time and they will last longer and perfume your home with their fragrance. Early morning is the best time to harvest, just as the dew is evaporating. Cut when the lower buds are opening and the top ones are still in bud.
When you cut the stems cut cleanly. This keeps the plant healthy and ready to produce more flowers. Use scissors or shears and cut above a leaf node. Sweet peas will continue to flower and give you a crop all season.
Look after your blooms once they’re cut. Transport them in water if possible and get them into a vase quickly. This will extend their life and keep them fresh.
Arranging Sweet Peas in Floristry
Sweet peas are the stars of the show in floral designs. Modern grandifloras with their increased scent and unique features are the icing on the cake. They add a soft, cottage garden feel. For a beautiful bouquet harmonise sweet peas with other garden flowers like roses or lavender. Their long stems and colours make them easy to mix and match.
When arranging, think about colour, balance and texture. Sweet peas have delicate tendrils that can add a whimsical touch to your design. For a bit of elegance let some stems hang over the edge of the vase.
How to Preserve the Scent and Beauty of Cut Sweet Peas
Sweet peas are short lived but with care you can preserve their beauty and scent. For vase life change the water daily and trim the stems. Keep them out of direct sunlight and heat sources to prevent wilting.
For a lasting scent consider making a potpourri. Dry sweet pea petals and mix with other dried flowers and spices. Or press the blooms in a book. They can be used in craft projects or as a keepsake of your garden’s harvest.
FAQs
When should I plant sweet pea seeds for best scent and cutting?
- Sweet peas can be planted direct into the soil in late winter or early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. In milder climates they can be sown in autumn for early summer flowering. Planting early allows the roots to establish before the heat of the weather which is important for good growth and fragrance.
How do I prepare the soil for sweet pea seeds?
- Sweet peas prefer well drained soil rich in organic matter. Before planting work in plenty of compost or well rotted manure into the soil. A pH between 6.0 and 7.0 is ideal. Make sure the planting site gets full sun as sweet peas love full sun.
Can I start sweet pea seeds indoors?
- Yes you can start sweet pea seeds indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before the last expected frost date. Use biodegradable pots so you don’t disturb the roots when transplanting as sweet peas hate root disturbance.
When do I cut sweet pea flowers?
- The best time to cut sweet pea flowers is in the morning or late afternoon when the temperature is cooler. Choose blooms that have just started to open for longest vase life. Cutting flowers regularly will encourage more blooms.
How do I extend the vase life of cut sweet pea flowers?
- To extend the vase life of cut sweet pea flowers place them in water as soon as you cut them. Use a clean vase with fresh water and add a floral preservative if you have one. Change the water every few days and remove any leaves that will be below the water line to prevent bacterial growth.
What are some common pests and diseases of sweet peas?
- Common pests of sweet peas are aphids, slugs and snails. Powdery mildew and root rot are common diseases often caused by poor air circulation and overwatering. Regular monitoring and good plant hygiene will help prevent these issues.
Can sweet peas be grown in pots?
- Yes sweet peas can be grown in pots as long as they are deep enough to accommodate the long roots and have good drainage. Use a good quality potting mix and make sure the pot has support for the vines to climb.
How do I save sweet pea seeds?
- To save sweet pea seeds allow the pods to dry on the plant until they turn brown and start to crack open. Harvest the pods, remove the seeds and store them in a cool dry place until you are ready to plant them next season. Make sure the seeds are completely dry to prevent mould during storage.
