Guide to growing garden plants - Annual Lathyrus

The Lathyrus genus contains both annuals and perennials. This section of plant biology advice is dedicated to the annual varieties of Lathyrus.

These climbing plants can reach from 60cm to 3M in height. They carry fragrant butterfly like flowers in many shades.

The flowering time of Annual Lathyrus is species dependent and can be from spring to autumn. Some of the latin names include lathyrus latifolius, lathyrus sativus, lathyrus odoratus, lathyrus nervosus and lathyrus linifolius.

Annual Lathyrus can be grown on a trellis or fence at the back of a garden border or allowed to grow along the ground.

How to grow Annual Lathyrus

The seeds of Annual Lathyrus should be sown outdoors at a depth of 12mm in early spring. They like to grow in a sunny part of the garden that has a deeply composted (40cm) soil; the soil should also have bone meal added to it.

If starting off indoors then the process should start about 2 months before the last frost of spring is expected. First chip the seeds then imbibe them in warm water for a day. They will require to be inoculated with nitrogen fixing bacteria available from a garden centre. The seeds should then take two or three weeks to germinate at 12 to 18 degrees centigrade. Once growing the annual Lathyrus plants should be transplanted outdoors after the last frost of spring. Annual Lathyrus vines should be spaced at about 15cm apart whilst bush's spaced about 30cm apart.

Caring for Annual Lathyrus

Annual Lathyrus require a trellis or fence to grow upon, or can be allowed to trail on the ground. Either way they should be mulched and watered in the summer (and other prolonged dry periods). Removing dead flowers will result in prolonged blooming. Unfortunately Annual Lathyrus is susceptible to disease, so it is necessary to change the location of where you plant annual Lathyrus each year.