Why savvy gardeners plant sweet peas NOW!

Sowing sweet peas in autumn produces bigger and better plants that will bloom earlier, go on for longer and are more mildew resistant. For really great blooms, try Unwins three NEW varieties for 2007: the long-stemmed Lipstick (pictured left), delicate-petalled Orchid and award-winning Sunset.

Sweet peas started in the cooler months put all their energy into a rigorous root system to sustain them over the winter, resulting in strong, stocky plants when they come to be planted in their final positions in mid spring.

Not only that, planting now means one less job next March – the busiest month in the gardening calendar.

7 steps to the perfect sweet pea:

When it comes to sweet peas the most important thing is not to mollycoddle them. Pot size is important – sweet peas like deep roots but don't need the girth. A one-litre pot 18cm (7in) deep, and 13cm (5in) across will give them enough space to keep them happy until they're planted out in mid March.

1. Sow seeds 1cm (1⁄2in) deep, or use root trainers (the smaller seedlings should be removed when potting on).

2. Water once. If the compost is too wet it will reduce the oxygen seeds need to germinate. Place in gentle warmth 13-19C (55-65F) and leave well alone.

3. Don't water them again until the seedlings break the surface, about 10 days to a fortnight later. Too much water will cause them to rot.

4. As soon as the seedlings start to appear move them to a well ventilated cold frame to harden off.

5. If the weather is very poor with frosts below -2C (28F) close the frame and cover with matting, straw or old newspapers to insulate it.

6. When the first or second pair of leaves has opened, pinch out the growing tip to encourage stronger new growth to develop.

7. Gradually accustom the plants to outside conditions before planting in April. Fork in a layer of moisture-retaining organic matter to improve the soil.

And remember: Just-germinated sweet peas are nectar to mice. Try soaking seeds in liquid paraffin (pharmacists sell it for constipation) you'll disguise the smell.

Sweet peas can need a helping hand when it comes to germination. Seeds have a hard coating that can stop the moisture they need to germinate. Use a small piece of emery paper to rub over the seed coat; or very carefully, use a sharp knife to chip away a small piece of the seed coat at the opposite or furthest end of the seed to the "eye".

NEW! LIPSTICK (pictured above) – long-stemmed designer beauty with ruffled blooms of carmine-red, perfect for an eye-popping display in your garden and great for cutting too. Delicately scented.

NEW! ORCHID - creamy buds open to reveal pretty light lavender flowers with deeper veins. The delicious fragrance and sturdy stems makes it a great cut flower. Sweetly scented.

NEW! SUNSET – extraordinary colours with silvery white inner petals and reddy purple revers, producing an average of four flowers per stem. Very sweetly scented.

Did you know? Sweet peas were introduced into Britain in the late 1600s. Today the most commonly grown types grown are the Spencer and Grandiflora cultivars. Both forms climb, twisting leaf tendrils around supports (man made or other plants and shrubs).

For more details, or to order on line go to www.unwinsdirect.co.uk