Home Gardening – Growing Sweet Peas From Seed

Sweet peas are known for being greedy plants, so be sure to fertilize their beds often during flowering season with liquid fertiliser. Climbers such as an obelisk, wigwam or jute netting provide ideal vertical support.

Gardeners typically sow hardy annuals directly into the ground in autumn or early spring; alternatively, containers can be started indoors for later planting out.

Sowing

Sweet peas come in various varieties and hues and look beautiful when placed in beds and containers. While cut sweet peas only last 4 to 5 days in a vase when cut fresh from their plant, adding sugar or flower preservative can extend this lifespan by keeping plants well watered and deadheading faded flowers regularly. For optimal results keep plants well watered with regular irrigation and deadhead faded blooms regularly to get maximum enjoyment from this blooming beauty!

Gardeners in colder areas where frost is an issue like Maine farmer Susan Keating and Vermont gardener Jay Leshinsky often sow seeds early indoors in jumbo pots to plant out as soon as the ground can be worked in spring, resulting in armfuls of bloom all summer long. Even mild winter regions should begin planting seeds as soon as the ground can be worked upon come spring time for maximum success.

Once seedlings reach 4 inches tall, pinch off their middle growing tip to encourage branching outward. While this process takes time and effort, it will pay dividends!

Preparation of the Soil

Sweet peas are easy to cultivate in warm climates – the key is maintaining consistent soil moisture with drip irrigation or by watering deeply (1-3 times weekly). To do so, drip irrigation works wonders for us and keeps the soil hydrated at all times! If a drought arises you’ll need to supplement that watering schedule by deep watering 1-2-3 times every week or relying on drip irrigation alone.

Light inhibits germination, so bury the seeds 1/2″ beneath the surface. We prefer planting in cool, dark conditions in order to ensure short and healthy seedlings without leggy, floppy growth which leaves them more prone to breakage.

Some farmers cultivate sweet peas in hoop houses or greenhouses to extend the growing season into winter, while others sow seeds a month or so early under shop lights (Spencer varieties) before moving them outside into their garden after sprouting. I have taken this approach myself with great success; Spencer varieties bloom earlier than most and supply early spring flowers for florists. You will need supports in place – traditional canes or hazel rods work just as well, while decorative obelisks would make the process even better!

Planting

Sweet pea seeds can be easily grown. Simply sow one inch deep seeds two to three inches apart early spring in a container or planting bed and keep evenly moist until germination occurs; typically this will take 10 to 28 days.

To maximize results, sow seeds in a container such as a deep fibre pot or root trainer. Soaking them for several hours prior to sowing will increase germination rates significantly.

Cut sweet pea flowers when 2/3 of their buds have opened to extend vase life by 4 or 5 days, using flower preservative. Drooping or limp flowers could require further pruning – although too much can weaken the plant and reduce blooming potential in future years. Harvesting pods at the proper time also adds to success with sweet peas.

Harvesting

Sweet peas add an elegant and whimsical flair to bouquets and arrangements, adding color and vibrance to cool season landscapes. Be sure to inform customers of their fleeting beauty as well as source these flowers locally whenever possible for maximum freshness, fragrance, and color retention.

Remember that sweet peas need consistent water in order to thrive. Use a drip irrigation system or soaker hose to supply them with enough moisture throughout warm weather, watering deeply at least two or three times weekly.

As your sweet peas come into maturity, harvest their seed pods or cut down whole vines using sharp scissors like Fiskars’ precision micro-tip pruning scissors from Amazon. Place these in a paper bag and shake or best the bag vigorously to separate seeds from pods (known as winnowing) so as to produce pure seeds you can plant in next year. Any lighter material will blow away leaving behind only pure and clean seeds!