Sweet peas are one of the most beloved flowers for gardens Their incredibly fragrant, ruffled blooms come in a rainbow of colors and make stunning cut flowers While many gardeners grow sweet peas from seed, purchasing young sweet pea plants is an easy way to add instant color and fragrance to your garden.
If you’re looking for places to find sweet pea plants for sale, you have several excellent options for finding healthy, robust plants available from reputable online and local sources.
Online Retailers Offering Sweet Pea Plants
Ordering plants online provides convenient access to sweet pea plants even if local sources are not available in your area. Reputable online plant retailers that ship live plants can quickly deliver sweet pea plants right to your door.
Some top online retailers for purchasing sweet pea plants include
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Burpee – This well-known seed company also sells plants, including sweet pea plants in single colors and mixes. Burpee offers detailed growing information for each variety.
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American Meadows – This nursery provides container-grown sweet pea plants in an array of gorgeous colors. Their plants are hardy and ready to transplant into the garden upon arrival.
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Nature Hills Nursery – From fragrant sweet pea standards to sweet pea vines, Nature Hills Nursery has a nice selection of high-quality, productive sweet pea plants for sale.
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White Flower Farm – This family-owned nursery offers sweet pea plants in beautifully illustrated collections that take the guesswork out of choosing complementary colors.
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Etsy – Many Etsy plant shops sell sweet pea plants propagated by individual growers. Etsy offers one-of-a-kind varieties not found elsewhere.
When ordering plants online, be sure to check expected shipping times and plant guarantees. Reputable sellers will ensure plants arrive in good condition.
Local Sources for Purchasing Sweet Pea Plants
Searching for sweet pea plants within your local area is also a great option. Local nurseries, garden centers, and farmers markets frequently carry vegetable starts and flower plants in the spring.
Here are some places to check for locally-available sweet pea plants for sale:
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Independent nurseries – Local plant nurseries that specialize in flowering plants, especially those focused on heirloom varieties, often sell vegetable starts and sweet pea plants. Visit websites or call ahead to check seasonal availability.
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Farmers markets – Many small-scale farmers and gardeners sell flower and vegetable starts at farmers markets. These locally-grown plants are acclimated to perform well in your area.
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Garden centers – Larger garden supply stores typically carry a selection of herb, vegetable, and annual flower plants. Check for sweet pea plants alongside other flowering vines and container plants.
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Hardware stores – Home improvement stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot usually stock a limited range of annuals and vegetable starts in their garden centers or plant sections.
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Plant swaps – Connect with fellow gardeners through local plant exchanges, community gardens, or gardening groups to get sweet pea slips.
Searching locally allows you to hand-select plants, avoid shipping delays, and support small businesses in your community. Talk to growers to learn about which sweet pea varieties perform best in your specific location.
What to Look for When Buying Sweet Pea Plants
When shopping for sweet pea plants, either online or in person, look for these signs of healthy, high-quality plants:
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Established root system – Avoid plants with loose, underdeveloped roots. Healthy sweet pea plants will have a dense, white root ball.
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Hardened growth – Plants should not appear leggy or weak. Seek stocky plants with hardy stems and foliage.
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No pests or disease – Inspect plants thoroughly for any insects, spots, mold, or damage. Select plants with only clean, vigorous growth.
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Well-watered – Soil should appear moist but not soaked. Desiccated or dried out plants often fail to thrive.
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Proper labeling – Ensure plants are labeled with the correct variety name so you know flower colors.
Choosing vigoruous, healthy plants from the start gives your sweet peas their best chance of providing abundant, beautiful blooms throughout the growing season.
How to Plant and Grow Store-Bought Sweet Pea Plants
Caring for store-bought plants only requires a few simple steps. Follow these guidelines after bringing home new sweet pea plants:
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Plant in full sun. Sweet peas require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.
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Prepare soil with compost or manure. Sweet peas need nutrient-rich soil.
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Dig holes 12-18 inches apart. Plant sweet peas deeper than they originally grew.
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Water newly planted sweet peas. Keep soil consistently moist, watering 1-2 inches per week.
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Install trellises, nets, or supports for vines to climb.
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Pinch out the tip once plants reach 6 inches tall to encourage bushy growth.
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Apply balanced fertilizer or compost tea every 2-3 weeks during growing season.
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Remove spent blooms to prolong flowering. Deadhead regularly.
With proper care, purchased sweet pea plants will quickly establish and begin growing rapidly. You’ll be rewarded with an abundance of fragrant blooms within just a few weeks.
Enjoy Sweet Pea Plants All Season Long
Adding sweet pea plants from reliable online and local sources promises easy-growing vines covered in breathtaking flowers and intoxicating fragrance. With so many charming varieties to explore, it’s tempting to collect them all!
Shop early in the season for the best selection of plants. Then provide simple care as they settle in and become established. Before you know it, your sweet peas will burst into gorgeous blooms that keep your garden looking – and smelling – divine all season long.
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Sweet Peas 101: Growing the most fragrant flower (without seed trays!)
FAQ
When should I buy sweet pea plants?
You can buy sweet pea plug plants in spring. Plant them in fertile soil beneath a support, such as a wigwam made of bamboo canes. Most sweet peas will grow to about 2m in height. Water in well until they’ve put on good growth.
What is the secret to growing sweet peas?
Make sure you keep them moist and their heads in the sun for at least six hours a day; preferably more. Keep them picked once they start to flower; or they will go to seed thinking it is time to sleep and you will not get any more blooms.
Do sweet pea flowers come back every year?
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Annual Sweet Peas (Lathyrus odoratus):These are the fragrant, climbing sweet peas that are popular for their vibrant colors and strong scent. They complete their life cycle in one growing season, meaning they sprout from seed, grow, flower, produce seed, and then die back, typically in the fall or winter.
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Perennial Sweet Peas (Lathyrus latifolius):Also known as everlasting sweet peas, these are a different species that are not as fragrant as the annuals. They are hardy and will return each year, often blooming in late spring or summer.
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Key Differences:
- Life Cycle: Annuals die back after one season, while perennials return year after year.
- Fragrance: Annuals are known for their strong, sweet scent, while perennials have little to no fragrance.
- Appearance: Perennials are often bushy rather than climbing, and their flowers are smaller and less ruffled than those of the annuals.
- Life Cycle: Annuals die back after one season, while perennials return year after year.
What is the best sweet pea to grow?
The two best for this are ‘Cupani’ and ‘Painted Lady’, two superb varieties, smaller flowers than the more highly bred varieties but they make up for that in scent. Here at Higgledy Garden we also sell a number of single colour varieties all selected though with scent in mind!
Where can I buy sweet pea seeds?
Buy Sweet Pea seeds from Swallowtail Garden Seeds. Heirloom and rare tall and dwarf sweet peas. Sweet peas give you bright, fragrant flowers magnificent for cutting. Support climbing sweet peas with trellises, nets, or strings. Dwarf sweet peas do not climb and are perfect for containers, beds and borders.
Are sweet pea plants a good choice?
Sweet pea plants have a gorgeous fragrance and superb flower power – the more you cut, the more you get! Plant annual, perennial, dwarf, single and mixed coloured sweet pea flowers in plant pots or beds, and enjoy as cut flowers in your home. High quality sweet pea plugs & seeds at excellent prices.
What are sweet pea flowers?
Sweet Pea flowers are a type of climbing vine that are known for their sweet fragrance and delicate beauty. They have been popular for many years, and their popularity has only grown as more people Elevate your gardening with our guide to saving sweet pea seeds.
How do you plant sweet pea seeds?
Plant Sweet Pea Seeds: Start seeds in winter or early spring, about 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date. Prior to sowing, nick the outer seed coating with nail clippers or soak in water for 6 to 8 hours to allow for faster hydration and improved germination. Sow in 4 in. pots, using a seed starting mix, with 2 to 3 seeds per pot.
Where do sweet pea plants grow?
Sweet Pea plants thrive in sunny locations with well-drained soil and benefit from supports like trellises or obelisks for climbing varieties. They are versatile, suitable for borders, containers, and cutting gardens, where their fragrant blooms are ideal for floral arrangements.
When should I plant sweet pea seeds?
Dwarf plants covered in wonderfully fragrant bicolor flowers. Plant Sweet Pea Seeds: Start seeds in winter or early spring, about 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date. Prior to sowing, nick the outer seed coating with nail clippers or soak in water for 6 to 8 hours to allow for faster hydration and improved germination.