Peas contain 18 essential vitamins and nutrients a powerhouse of health.
Garden sweet pea.
Sweet peas belong to the genus lathyrus.
Try fresh in soups or steamed or store for winter use by drying of freezing.
Sweet peas are one of the april birth flowers.
The sweet pea is an essential member of a late victorian garden.
How to grow sweet peas at home.
A good project for kids.
Gather the flowers in the morning when the dew is still on them.
The biodegradable pots can be put right into the ground reducing transplant stress.
Start sweet peas in cowpots.
It is most often seen trained up bamboo stakes or structures but can also be left to form mounds or planted in containers where it spills over the sides.
There are over 100 species of sweet peas and according to the southern living garden book despite the name not all are fragrant but all have the classic pea family bloom one large upright roundish petal called the banner or standard two narrow side petals the wings and two lower petals that form a boat shaped structure the keel.
With 20 30 more sugars than other pea varieties garden sweet is a ready made dish that needs little preparation from the garden to the plate.
Most varieties have tendrils that will self cling to supports but some sweet peas will need tying in.
When plants are 10cm tall pinch out the tips to encourage bushy growth.
Victorians loved sweet peas for their color diversity and fragrance.
Plant out in mid spring and keep well watered.
Buy sweet pea seed and learn how to grow sweet pea flowers from in depth instructions.
Plant sweet pea seeds in autumn or spring.
The name is also used to describe other edible seeds from the fabaceae such as the pigeon pea cajanus cajan the cowpea vigna.
The colorful and fragrant sweet pea is a favorite in cottage gardens and other informal garden styles.
Sow as many sweet pea seeds as you can and you won t regret it.
Botanically pea pods are fruit since they contain seeds and develop from the ovary of a pea flower.
This is when their scent is the sweetest.
Sweet pea seeds are about 1 8 so they re especially easy to plant.