Sweet Pea Bijou Mix dwarf plants in bloom

How to Grow Sweet Pea Bijou Mix From Seed

By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Updated July 2026

Sweet Pea Bijou Mix is the sweet pea for gardeners who want all the fragrance without the fuss of a big trellis. Bijou is a bushy, dwarf to semi-dwarf type that stays around twelve to eighteen inches tall, so it happily fills containers, window boxes, and the front of a border with almost no support. It blooms in a cheerful mix of colors on tidy plants, and it keeps that classic, heady sweet pea scent. If you love the perfume but have limited space, this is your variety.

This is the quick guide to Sweet Pea Bijou Mix. For the full step-by-step on soaking seed, sowing, feeding, and troubleshooting, see our complete guide to growing sweet peas from seed.

Quick start

Soak the seeds for 12 to 24 hours (or nick the coat), then sow them about one inch deep and two to three inches apart in a sunny spot with rich, well-drained soil. Sow in very early spring as soon as the soil can be worked, or in fall in mild-winter zones. Bijou is a dwarf bush type, so it needs little or no support, making it ideal for pots and the front of a border. Pinch the tips early for bushier plants, keep the soil evenly moist, and start cutting fragrant stems in roughly 75 to 90 days.

Best tip

Grow Bijou in pots and pinch it early. Because Bijou stays compact, it is the one sweet pea that truly thrives in a container on a patio or balcony. Pinch the growing tips when seedlings reach a few inches tall to get a fuller, flower-packed mound, and keep the pot evenly watered since containers dry out fast. In warm climates, plant as early as the soil can be worked so the plants flower before summer heat arrives.

At a glance

Botanical nameLathyrus odoratus 'Bijou Mix'

Plant typeAnnual flower (dwarf bush type)

USDA zones2 to 11 (grown as a cool-season annual)

SunFull sun (afternoon shade in hot climates)

Days to maturityBlooms in about 75 to 90 days from sowing

Height12 to 18 in

Spacing2 to 3 in apart

WaterKeep consistently moist; water deeply

Uses

Bijou Mix is made for small spaces and big impact. Its compact, self-branching habit makes it a standout in containers, window boxes, hanging baskets, and along the front edge of a flower bed, where taller climbing types would flop. The mixed colors give you a fragrant, cottage-garden bouquet all in one packet, and the stems are still long enough for charming little posies indoors. Like all sweet peas it is an ornamental flower only: enjoy the color and scent, but never eat any part of the plant, as the seeds and pods are poisonous.

Frequently asked questions

How tall does Sweet Pea Bijou Mix get?

Bijou Mix is a dwarf to semi-dwarf sweet pea that grows about twelve to eighteen inches tall. Its compact, bushy habit means it needs little or no support, unlike the tall climbing sweet peas.

Does Bijou Mix need a trellis?

Not really. Bijou is self-branching and stays short, so it holds itself up in a pot or border. A few twiggy sticks or a low grid can keep it tidy, but a tall trellis is not needed.

Is Bijou Mix good for containers?

Yes, it is one of the best sweet peas for pots, window boxes, and hanging baskets because it stays compact and bushy while still producing plenty of fragrant, mixed-color blooms.

Are Sweet Pea Bijou Mix seeds edible?

No. Like all sweet peas, Bijou Mix is an ornamental flower only. Its seeds and pea-like pods are poisonous if eaten, so grow it strictly for its beauty and scent and keep it away from children and pets.

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By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Maxim founded Organo Republic in 2017 and personally selects, tests, and grows the heirloom, non-GMO varieties the company offers. Under his leadership, Organo Republic was named Agri Business Review’s Top Non-GMO Seed Variety Solution 2026.