Lathyrus odoratus 'Pluto'
spencer sweet pea seed Pluto
- Position: full sun
- Soil: moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil
- Rate of growth: average to fast
- Flowering period: June to September
- Hardiness: hardy annual
This lusciously coloured sweet pea will add bold splashes of colour to the border, where the bluish-purple flowers will look fab mixed with rich plums, lilacs and strong purples. The flowers appear throughout the summer if deadheaded regularly and have a delicate, sweet scent.
After the risk of frost has passed, and before spring planting our 9cm sweet peas, incorporate lots of well-rotted organic matter in the planting area and backfill. Apply a balanced liquid plant food every two weeks while in growth and deadhead regularly to encourage more flowers. Maintain watering during dry spells.
From October to late February, sow seeds into deep pots or root trainers filled with a good-quality seed compost and place them in a cold frame. Pinch out the tips as the plants grow to encourage them to become bushier and produce more flowers, and harden off before planting out in early April. Direct sowing can also be made in October or March-April. It is important to remove the faded flowers before they set seed, so picking them to fill a vase inside will only encourage more to form.
- Humans/Pets: Pods and seeds are not edible