Pot sweet peas in a deep container with drainage and a small trellis. Use a bush or compact kind. Do not hang a tall Spencer in a shallow basket.
A deep pot, full sun, and a small trellis
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Pot | At least 10 to 12 inches deep, with holes | A hanging basket of tall climbers |
| Light | Full sun on the vines; shade the mix surface | A dark porch that stretches stems |
| Support | A small net, hoop, or twine frame at potting | Adding sticks after vines flop |
| Kind | A bush or compact type, or a few climbers in a tub | One tall Spencer in a 6-inch pot |
Roots run deep. A shallow bowl dries and cooks them. [1] Start in cells at least 4 inches deep if you sow in a tray. [2] Site the finished pot in sun, with a frame the vines can grab. [3] Keep-alive light and pinch live on How to Grow Sweet Peas. [4]
Can I grow sweet peas in pots?
Yes, in a deep pot with drainage and a small trellis. Bush types are easier than tall Spencers.
How to pot sweet peas
- Choose a pot 10 to 12 inches deep or more, with drainage holes. Set the trellis or net in the pot before you fill.
- Fill with a peat- or coir-based mix that drains. Do not use a water-holding hanging-basket mix that stays wet at the crown.
- Sow or set plants so the crown sits level. Space a few vines around the frame, not a turf in the middle.
- Water until it leaves the holes. Keep the mix evenly moist; do not let the root ball bake on a patio.
- Pinch at 4 to 6 inches, then cut flowers. ‘Spencer Mix’ in a tub still needs the frame; a bush type can skip the tall climb.
How deep should a sweet pea pot be?
At least 10 to 12 inches. Seedlings started in trays want cells 4 inches deep or more.
What fails in a sweet pea pot
- A hanging basket of tall Spencers — the mix dries, roots cook, and vines have nowhere to climb.
- A pot with no drainage — the crown stays wet and stems rot at the mix line.
- Support added after the flop — tendrils missed the grip. Set the frame at potting.
- A dark, warm indoor windowsill all spring — leggy vines, then heat. Move the pot into outdoor sun once nights are cool, not tropical.
Pick habit on Types of Sweet Peas. Sow date and soak live on Planting Sweet Peas.
Use a deep pot, a frame from day one, and a bush or compact kind.
FAQ
Can I use a hanging basket?
Only a compact or bush type, and even then a deep basket with a small frame is kinder. Tall climbers belong in a tub on the ground.
What mix should I use?
A draining potting mix. Do not pack garden clay into the pot, and do not use a mix that stays soggy.
How many sweet peas per pot?
A few vines around one frame in a 12-inch tub, not a seed packet dumped in the middle.
Should I fertilize sweet peas in a pot?
A light, balanced feed after plants take is enough. Heavy nitrogen makes leaves and few flowers.
How often do I water a pot?
Keep the mix evenly moist. Pots dry faster than ground. Do not leave water in the saucer.
Can perennial sweet pea live in a pot?
It wants a large, permanent tub and a sturdy frame. Annual packets are the usual pot crop.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] UC Marin Master Gardeners -
https://ucanr.edu/site/uc-marin-master-gardeners/article/sweet-peas-grown-ease - [2] NC State Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/lathyrus-odoratus/ - [3] Almanac -
https://www.almanac.com/plant/sweet-peas - [4] Utah State University Extension -
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/extension_curall/2063
This note is part of Lathyrus Guides.
More container notes by plant live in Container Growing Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors