How to Grow Sweet Peas in Hanging Baskets?

Sweet Peas are long climbing vines that produce pearly white with inky purple flowers annually, suitable for patios or balconies in hanging baskets.

You can apply similar conditions for each variety of Sweet Peas to fill the indoors and outdoors with fragrant blossoms!

Can All Varieties of Sweet Peas Grow in Hanging Baskets?

Watch out for the varieties of Sweet Peas before bringing them home, as every type does not fit in hanging baskets.

So go for dwarf, bushy varieties of Sweet Peas to get heavy blooms with fragrance and a spectrum of color.

1. Virgo

First on the list is the Virgo, attaining a height of one meter in about 1-2 years under full sun with partial shade.

Each Virgo plant branch can yield four lovely white blossoms during summer and early fall.

The best part is that the Virgo can spread up to 1 meter, similar to the length of the trailing plants, making your pot appear bushy instead of leggy.

So provide your Sweet Pea variety with a pot having the organic-rich mix and enough drainage holes to enjoy the full blossoms.

2. Flora Norton

Second on the list is Flora Norton, famous for its bluish hue giving about three flowers per stem in summer.

The plant can attain a mature height of 1-1.5 meters in about two years under 6 hours of full daily sun with partial shade.

Moreover, you can enjoy the spreading trails up to 1 meter during fall and cold days.

So bring the Norton variety of Sweet Peas home and nourish them with deep, rich, moist soil in a hanging pot with enough drainage holes.

3. King Edward VII

Next is the King Edward VII variety, with long climbing vines extending up to 1.8 meters, giving crimson blooms in summer and early autumn.

Also, given the plant length, you might need to prune them after they attain the mature height in about 1-2 years.

Meanwhile, the trailing plant extends up to 30 cm wide under sunlight with partial shade.

How to Grow Sweet Peas in Hanging Baskets? 

Seeds are the only medium you can get blooming Sweet Peas at home. 

But, germinating seeds is more laborious than looking out and caring for Sweet Peas.

1. Collecting Hanging Basket

Choose a pot of 12 to 14 inches that is easy and strong to hang on the ceiling and wall, as the vines tend to trail down from a single side.

You can also make a DIY round container with a strong and short string attached to the top.

Use sphagnum moss and coco coir liner to promote water retention and drainage facility.

2. Preparing the soil 

Use potting mix available in online stores, or make a DIY soil using a potting mix, perlite or peat moss, and coarse sand in a 1:1:1 ratio.

Moreover, add a quarter of organic matter to boost the nutrients for seeds and fill the pot with gravel.

Lastly, put the mix in the hanging pot you have prepared and try to keep the soil moist, not damp. 

3. Sowing Seeds 

Seeds of Sweet Peas have a hard coat making it difficult for the seeds to germinate, so they usually have to be pre-treated.

You can either rub the seeds over sandpaper or soak the seeds for 24 hours if you plan to sow indoors or outdoors in spring.

Plant two to three seeds 1-2 inches deep in the soil by maintaining a space of about 4 to 6 inches.

Sow the Pea seeds in late winter or early spring indoors and early spring outdoors to keep the seeds under 55-65º F when germinating.

You can watch the video for further help.

Tips to Care for Sweet Peas in Hanging Baskets

In Southern America, treat the Sweet Peas in full sun for 6 hours with partial afternoon shade, while full sun for 8 hours will work in the Northern regions.

• Provide the seeds with at least 78-90% of humidity.
• Water your Sweet Peas every day for the first two weeks in summer and change it to once every 2-3 days when sprouts appear.
• Feed your Peas with phosphorous-rich fertilizer (5-10-5) bi-weekly in the actively growing season to enjoy the blooms.
• Try to keep the pH alkaline within the range of 7-8 for the best result.
• Perform pruning in late winter or spring with the help of sterilized scissors or pinch them with fingers to encourage new blooms.
• Attack from common pests like aphids, mites and pea moths is unavoidable, so treat the plant with neem oil or insecticidal soap.
• According to the UC ANR, powdery Mildew, Black Root Rot, and Leaf Spots can also disturb the Sweet Peas.
• So try to grow your plant in new soil and use copper-rich fungicides to control the disease attack.