How to grow Sweet Peas

How to grow sweet peas in a garden

Choose a well drained spot in the garden that has full sun and is sheltered from wind.
Enrich the soil with some compost and Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser before planting.
Sow into damp soil where the sweet peas are to grow and lightly cover with soil. Tall growing varieties will need a support to climb up.
Do not water for a couple of days after sowing. If the soil becomes dry water gently to keep it slightly moist while the seeds are germinating.
Once the seedlings are established, feed every 1 to 2 weeks with Yates Thrive Roses and Flowers Liquid Plant Food.
Pinch out first buds to encourage bushier plants.
Remove any spent flowers to prolong the display.

How to grow sweet peas in a pot

Choose a pot that has adequate drainage holes and place it in a position that gets full sun and is sheltered from wind.
Fill the pot with Yates Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter.
Sow into damp potting mix where the sweet peas are to grow and lightly cover with potting mix. Tall growing varieties will need a support to climb up.
Do not water for a couple of days after sowing. If the potting mix becomes dry water gently to keep it slightly moist while the seeds are germinating.
Once the seedlings are established, feed every 1 to 2 weeks with Yates Thrive Roses and Flowers Liquid Plant Food.
Pinch out first buds to encourage bushier plants.
Remove any spent flowers to prolong the display.

Yates varieties

Sweet Pea Original

From world-renowed plant breeder Dr. Keith Hammett comes this rare opportunity to savour the delights of the original sweet pea introduced from Sicily 300 years ago.

Sweet Pea Pixie Princess Dwarf

This versatile, very dwarf sweet pea will brighten your garden, window box or pots with a brilliant display of colourful blooms on sturdy, upright stems.

Sweet Pea Bijou Semi Dwarf

A low-growing sweet pea with brilliantly-coloured blooms on long stems. Ideal for borders, containers and mass planting.

Sweet Pea Blue Reflections

A stunning display of large blooms in shades of blue, mauve and white creates a cascading wall of colour.

Sweet Pea Brilliant Fragrance

This delightful, unique and highly fragrant sweet pea has soft cream petals that change to a pastel pink as they mature.

Sweet Pea Colourcade

A vibrant colour mix of early flowering and heavily perfumed sweet peas.

Sweet Pea Cupid Dwarf

A dwarf, ground-covering sweet pea from world-renowned plant breeder Dr. Keith Hammett.

Sweet Pea Old Fashioned

A traditional favourite with large, ruffled blooms that are heavily perfumed.

Sweet Pea Original

From world-renowed plant breeder Dr. Keith Hammett comes this rare opportunity to savour the delights of the original sweet pea introduced from Sicily 300 years ago.

Sweet Pea Patricia Ann

An unusual mix from world-renowed plant breeder Dr. Keith Hammett with each flower showing finely rippled veins of colour through the petals.

Sweet Pea Potted Fragrance Semi Dwarf

This beautifully scented, low growing mix of sweet peas is perfect for pots or as a garden borders.

Sweet Pea May Gibbs Fairy

May Gibbs created the charming Sweet Pea Fairy. This dwarf, ground-covering plants produce bicoloured pink blooms in late spring and early summer.

Sweet Pea Pink Diana

Large fragrant blooms in shades of pink produce an eye-catching garden display.

Growing tips

If sowing first in seed raising mix take extra care when transplanting as Sweet peas resent root disturbance.
If heavy rainfalls are expected close to planting time, start the seeds off in toilet paper rolls filled with damp seed raising mix. Don’t be tempted to water the seeds for at least a couple of days after sowing and only apply small amounts of water to the seeds to keep the soil lightly moist. Once germinated, plant the toilet paper rolls containing the young plants directly where they are to grow and water in well.
Apply some mulch around the base of the plants to help retain soil moisture.
Sweet Peas are traditionally sown on St Patricks Day (17 March) however can be sown later in autumn in many areas around Australia.
For maximum sunlight exposure have the trellis running in a north-south direction.
You can create little Sweet Pea tepees in the backyard which is a delight for kids.
Pick blooms regularly to promote further flowering.
Once flowering has finished and the plant begins to wither, dig them directly into the soil as a green manure which adds nitrogen to the soil.
Do not consume the fruits or seeds of the Sweet Peas as they are poisonous if eaten.