Sweet Pea Seeds (Heirloom)

The best heirloom sweet peas are homegrown

Traditional types of this lovely, old-fashioned annual, which were first promoted in England during the Victorian era, may develop vines up to six feet or more in length. Try Eden Brothers' Heirloom Old Spice Sweet Pea Seed Mix or a variety of blue or purple shades to decorate an arbor. With selections like Heirloom Prince of Orange Sweet Pea Seeds and Royal Scarlet Sweet Pea Seeds, you may also create your own color combinations. Use heirloom sweet peas as a backdrop for tulips or peonies in a cottage garden. Would you rather have a perennial? Try one of our varieties of heirloom everlasting pea seeds. Heirloom dwarf varieties like Eden Brothers' Sweetheart Sweet Pea Seed Mix, Knee-High Sweet Pea Seed Mix, and Bijou Sweet Pea Seed Mix may be cultivated in hanging baskets for flower curtains or in garden borders with their shortened, vase-ready stems.

How to plant heirloom sweet peas in your home garden

Heirloom sweet peas prefer alkaline, well-drained soil that has been amended with compost or manure. To expedite germination, soak seeds for up to 24 hours before sowing and nick the seed casing. Because sweet peas (like most peas) are cool-weather plants, they should be planted as soon as the soil can be worked so that they may get the most out of their growth season before the summer heat wilts them. They may be planted in late fall in USDA zones 8 and up, and seeds don't need to be soaked or nicked. It may be preferable to grow seeds indoors and transplant out if you live in a zone below 6. Germination can take up to two weeks, but as the first twining tendrils begin to snake their way upward, your patience will be rewarded. Ensure that vining crops have plenty of support.

Caring for heirloom sweet pea plants

Heirloom sweet pea plants in the north should be planted in full sun, while those in the south may require some shade in the afternoon. Plants will bloom in the early to mid spring and may bloom into the summer in milder areas. Pinch off the core stem of plants after they reach six inches to encourage them to spread out. To preserve the plant generating new blossoms, remove any withering flowers and any seed pods that emerge. Mulch generously over the roots to keep them cool, or use a groundcover plant like Eden Brothers' Johnny Jump Up Seeds or Blue Carpet Lobelia Seeds to lengthen their flowering season.

For more information about planting, growing, and caring for heirloom sweet pea seed, see the Sweet Pea Seeds Planting Guide.