Sweet pea Royal Family Maroon is one of the best loved and most popular variety of the Royal Family series. This very fragrant and very dark almost black sweet pea variety is very fast growing. Approx. 8 weeks after sowing the flowers first appear. This variety can witstand cold weather and diseases. Very well loved by bees, butterflies and other benificial insects. Use this flower like a cut flower, in the annual border, in the bees and butterflies garden and as climber against fences, palisades and gates. It has more and larger flowers than the varieties of the Spencer series. Non hardy annual. Height: 180 - 215 cm.
Indoor sowing/under glas: april - may
Outdoor sowing: end of may - june
Germination: 10 - 21 days
Germination temp.: 18 - 21°C
Sowing depth: 1 - 1½ cm
Sowing distance in rows: 25 - 30 cm
Plant distance: 30 - 40 cm
Plant position: sunny and sheltered
Flowering period: july - october
Sow indoors in individual pots of approx. 7½ cm across from april on. Sow 1 seed per pot and cover the seed with a layer of soil of approx. 1-1½ cm thick. Press gently in the soil and keep moist, especially during the germination. Cover the pots with a lid or with cling film. Put away on a temperature of approx. 18 - 21°C. Make sure the temperature stays as even as possible and don't let the temperature drop during the nights. Remove the lid or cling film when the seedlings emerge. Pinch out the tops of the plants when they're approx. 5 cm in size to promote the growing of side shoots. Harden the seedlings of for approx. 10 - 14 days from the middle of may, when there's no longer any risk of nightfrosts. Plant the seedlings outdoors from the end of may. Put them on a sunny and sheltered plot with free draining soil. Keep the plants approx. 30 - 40 cm apart. Keep moist and weedfree.
Sow outdoors from the end of may, when there's no longer any risk of night frosts. Sow thinly in rows approx. 25 - 30 cm apart and cover the seeds with a layer of soil of approx. 1 - 1½ cm. Press in gently and keep moist. Pinch out the tops of the plants when they're approx. 5 cm in size to promote the growing of side shoots. Thin the seedlings to approx. 30 - 40 cm apart. Keep moist and weedfree. Soak the seeds 24 hours prior to sowing in tepid water to aid the germination. Give the plants a sturdy support. Sweet peas need a sunny and sheltered plot with free draining and well manured soil.
Be carefull: the seeds of sweet pea are poisonous.
