Everlasting sweet peas are easy to grow once established and are tolerant to various conditions. When you receive your plants you should move them in to their final positions as soon as possible. If you cannot plant immediately, ensure your plants are watered and keep them moist and in a cool and bright space until planting is possible.

Position

A position in full sun is ideal when growing Lathyrus, however they will grow well in part shade. Some shelter in the form of hedging, screening, fences or garden buildings will be beneficial when growing plants and you may also wish to consider adding plant supports.

Soil

To get the best from your plants you will need to have a rich and fertile soil on which they can grow happily. Ideally soil will be deeply dug and have plenty of organic matter incorporated in to it prior to planting. To achieve this and provide the best conditions for your plants you can dig in plenty of well-rotted garden compost, manure or multi-purpose compost. At this point you may also wish to apply some general fertilizer , which will help plants to get off to a good start.

Care

After planting you will need to water plants well to ensure that they establish as best as possible. Apply a general fertilizer to the soil surrounding your plants at regular intervals throughout the growing season and a mulch of well-rotted horse manure in the spring each year will also help to encourage good growth. Applying a light spring mulch will also help to conserve water and keep roots moist throughout summer. Taller growing plants may require plant supports as strong winds may snap stems. 

Top tip

Pinch out growing tips early in the season to promote bushy growth and an increased number of flower stems.