Sweet Pea
A climbing cottage-garden classic best sown in autumn in most of NZ, though cold-area gardeners should wait for spring; pinch seedling tips early to force bushier growth and deadhead often to keep it flowering.
- Sun
- full sun
- Water
- moderate
- Spacing
- 15cm
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
- Mature height
- 1.8m
- Flowering season
- Jan, Oct, Nov, Dec
- Common diseases
- Powdery mildew
- Common pests
- Slugs and snails
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: March-June. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: August-September.
Growing stages
Germination & plantingAutumn in most areas; spring in cold areas
- Sow into free-draining soil in full sun, with a trellis or support in place for climbing to 180cm
- Cold-area gardeners should wait for spring rather than risk autumn frost on young seedlings
- Slugs and snails can shred emerging seedlings overnight, so protect them early
Establishment
- Pinch out seedling tips once a few leaves have formed to force bushier, more floriferous growth
- Provide support early so climbing tendrils have something to grip as they take off
Vegetative growth
- A vigorous climber that reaches up to 180cm, so keep tying in or guiding growth onto its support
- Water moderately and regularly; erratic watering encourages powdery mildew
- Watch leaves for powdery mildew, especially as the season warms and airflow between plants drops
Flowering
- Deadhead spent blooms often, letting pods form quickly stops new flowers from being produced
- Cut flowers regularly for the vase, which also acts as a form of deadheading
- Keep watching for powdery mildew on leaves and slugs and snails around the base