Black Knight Heirloom Sweet Pea

 An annual grandiflora or antique sweet pea variety. Bred by Henry Eckford over 100 years ago. Beautiful, well scented dark maroon flowers that are smaller than modern varieties.

Growing conditions:

• Lathyrus odoratus is an annual climbing flowering plant with an intense unique fragrance. 
• Sweet peas have been cultivated since the 17th century, they are grown up canes, with the new shoots being regularly pinched out to promote a bushy habit and higher flower yields. Tendrils twine around supporting structures to help the sweet pea climb to 2 m in height where suitable, sturdy support is available.
• The large seeds benefit from pre soaking or chipping with a sharp blade for faster, more uniform germination, which takes around 20 days. In cold climates, sweet peas are sown indoors for earlier blooms, in late winter, or 8 to 10 weeks before last frost, or in cold frames in autumn or spring.
• The young plants or plugs and additional seeds can be planted outside as soon as the soil can be worked. These hardy annuals tolerate temperatures of -4°C and often thrive on cold weather and light frosts, developing strong root systems.
• The vigorous sweet pea plants are fast growing, rapid climbers once established, putting on over a foot of growth per week with consistent watering.
• Sweet pea flowers appear in midsummer and bloom continuously for many weeks if regularly deadheaded or harvested for cut flowers, bunches, bouquets and floristry arrangements.
• To maximize the vase life of the cut and come again sweet pea flowers, pick the raceme stems early morning with only 1 to 2 blooms open, or at least 2 buds still closed at the tip.

*The seeds and plants of members of the genus Lathyrus are toxic if ingested in quantity.