Monty Don, the renowned gardener and BBC Gardeners' World presenter, has shared an essential gardening tip for July. The horticulture expert advises that regularly picking all flowers from sweet pea plants is the best way to extend their flowering season.
According to Don, sweet pea flowers quickly form seed pods in warm weather. These pods drain the plant's energy and trigger further seed production, diverting resources away from bloom growth and maintenance. Removing the flowers prevents this process.
Don recommends picking every single flower, using scissors to cut the stems as long as possible. He suggests doing this roughly every ten days, acting swiftly at the first sign of seed heads forming. This practice can keep sweet peas flowering vibrantly into September during cooler summers.
Noah Mabey, Senior Gardener at Thornbridge Hall, supports Don's advice, emphasising that harvesting flowers for vases and snipping off spent heads prevents the plant from going to seed. The Royal Horticultural Society also recommends regular picking or deadheading to ensure a continuous supply of blooms.
Sweet peas thrive in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun, with weekly or fortnightly liquid fertiliser feeding. However, they struggle in very wet or heavy soil, and will not flower well in shade. They are also prone to powdery mildew in excessively dry, poor soil.
