Sweet peas

How to grow

1. Fill the pot with seed compost almost to the top. Make a hole with your finger and place one seed in each pot.

2. Cover the seeds with 1cm of compost.

3. Water the seeds in (give them a drink of water) and cover them with the polythene bag.

4. Keep the seeds at a temperature of about 15°C (59°F). After they have germinated, remove the covering.

5. Transfer the seedlings to a cold frame. Over the winter, keep the frame open as much as possible but protect from heavier frosts.

6. Plant the seedlings out in a sunny spot in the garden after the last spring frosts about 20-30 cm apart. Remember that slugs like to eat sweet peas!

7. As they grow, support the plants using garden canes, pea sticks or a trellis.

8. When the plants are about 10cm high, pinch out the tips, this helps to make a stronger bushier plant.

9. Sweet peas will keep flowering if you pick the flowers regularly - a good excuse to have some beautiful flowers in your home.

Remember- sweet pea seed pods look similar to edible pea pods but they are poisonous and must not be eaten.