Picking — the more you pick, the more you get

The single biggest sweet pea rule: cut at least 3 times a week. If a single seed pod forms, the plant interprets it as 'job done' and stops flowering. Vigilant picking gives you 8–10 weeks of flowers; lax picking gives you 2 weeks then nothing.

Cut in the cool of morning, with stems 15+ cm. Drop straight into a bucket of cool water — they wilt fast otherwise.

Pick when 2 of the 5 flowers on the stem are open and 1–2 buds still closed. Stems with all flowers open last only 2–3 days; stems with 2 open and 3 buds last 5–7.