Sweet peas have been cultivated since the early 1700s. By the 1880s, Henry Eckford began hybridizing the sweet scented blooms for more color variety. A natural mutation found in the gardens of the English Earl of Spencer, gave us the large flowering varieties of today.
Should I Pinch Sweet Peas?
When it comes to pinching out sweet peas, there are two schools of gardeners: those who claim pinching sweet peas back ruins the natural form of the plant and sacrifices the size of the bloom, and those who believe that to pinch sweet pea plants early in their growth adds beauty and fullness and the additional blooms make up for diminished size. It's all a matter of opinion.
If you're a beginning gardener or just new to growing this lovely vine, you might want to experiment by pinching sweet peas in half your bed and allowing the rest to grow naturally.
How to Pinch Sweet Peas for Fuller Plants
Sweet pea seeds can be planted directly into deeply loosened soil as soon as the ground can be worked. Once the peas have sprouted to 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm.) high, the seedlings should be thinned to 5 or 6 inches (12.5 to 15 cm.) apart. To pinch sweet pea plants, wait until they are 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20.5 cm.) high.
Take the growing tip between your forefinger and thumbnail and snip the growing tip off using your nail as your blade. Pinching out sweet peas will force the plant hormones called auxins to move to the side or auxiliary tips. The auxins will produce growth and for new and stronger growing tips.
Pinching out sweet peas will provide you with more blooms for cutting. It's one of the wonders of growing these delightful vines. The more blooms you cut, the more will grow, so don't be afraid of pinching out your sweet peas to enjoy the bouquets.
-
6 Flower Seeds I’m Gifting Everyone I Know This Christmas – To Inspire Their Garden In 2025Give the most meaningful gift of growing this holiday season. Senior Editor Melanie shares her flower seed picks to delight both new and experienced gardeners.
-
Bold & Beautiful Festive Bloomers: 6 Christmas Flowering Plants For A Big Holiday Buzz‘Tis the season for celebration and easy living, so make sure your plants are up to it. These dynamic Christmas flowering plants will help you see out the season in style
-
Why Don’t My Sweet Peas Flower – How To Get Sweet Peas BloomingMy sweet pea flowers are not blooming! It can be frustrating when you've done everything you can think of to help your flowers thrive, but they refuse to bloom. Let's look at a checklist of the requirements for a sweet pea to bloom in this article.
-
Can You Eat Sweet Peas – Are Sweet Pea Plants ToxicBecause of their name, there is some confusion as to whether you can eat sweet peas. They certainly sound like they might be edible. So are sweet pea plants toxic, or are sweet pea blossoms or pods edible? Click this article to learn more.
-
Container Grown Sweet Peas: How To Grow Sweet Pea Flowers In PotsWith their colorful and highly fragrant blossoms, sweet peas are extremely rewarding plants to grow. And, luckily, growing sweet peas in containers is also easy to do. Want to learn more about how to grow sweet pea flowers in pots? Click here.
-
Sweet Pea Problems: Reasons For Sweet Pea Flowers Falling OffIt's a common problem with sweet peas. One day the plants are loaded with buds that should open at any time, and the next day the buds are dropping off. Find out what causes bud drop and what to do about it in this article.
-
Sweet Pea Seedpods: Tips On Collecting Seeds From Sweet PeasSweet peas are one of the mainstays of the annual garden. When you find a variety you love, why not save the seeds so you can grow them every year? This article explains how to collect sweet pea seeds.
-
Care Of Sweet Peas - How To Grow Sweet PeasThe sweet peas your grandmother grew truly deserved the name "sweet" because of their delightful fragrance. Taking care of sweet peas is easy. This article has tips that will help.
