Grow a garden thats filled with the fragrance of Little Sweetheart Sweet Peas, from freshly harvested Lathyrus odoratus seeds. Little Sweetheart mixture is a dwarf variety that only grows to a mature height of roughly 8 to 14 inches tall. Unlike most Sweet Peas, these plants don’t require a trellis or support to grow, making them perfect for pots & containers, or even window boxes as well. Like other Sweet Peas, Little Sweetheart mix will produce the sweet fragrance that you know and love. The blooms come in an array of colors, such as red, pink, white, rose, purple, lilac and blue. These beauties are popularly used in hanging baskets and are quite heat resistant.
Little Sweetheart Sweet Peas are categorized as an annual flowering plant. Annuals such as this will grow quickly from freshly harvested seeds. They produce leaves, vines and flowers all within a single season, and later wilt with the first frost. Seeds can be collected at the end of its lifecycle, for resowing the following season.
Quick Facts
- Type: Flower
- Color: Mixture
- Height: 8” to 14″ Tall
- Width: 12″ Spread
- Season: Annual
- Zones: 3 to 9
- Environment: Full sun
Sowing The Seed
Sweet Peas can be put through a scarification process, prior to sowing. This helps loosen the hard outer shell, allowing the seeds to absorb water directly. Start indoors 6 weeks prior to the last forst, or direct sow outdoors when the weather becomes mildly cool. If temperatures become to hot, you might want to consider sowing in an area that will receive some shade in the day.
Growing Conditions
In areas where temperatures remain cool, grow your Sweet Peas in full sunlight. As explained above, if temperatures are a bit high, sow them in a partially shaded area. Make sure that the soil is rich in organic matter and fertile, but also well drained. To improve drainage, we always recommend adding a light compost to areas containing hard, compact soil. Water the seeds daily until germination occurs.
Germination & Growth
Sweet Pea seeds will typically germinate within 7 to 21 days after sowing. The plants will reach a mature height of roughly 8 to 14 inches tall and form a bushy growth habit. Little Sweetheart mixture is perfect for pots & containers and will produce beautiful pastel colors, which give off a faint, yet sweet scent. Sweet Peas attract an array of beneficial insects to the garden, such as butterflies & bees.