With their seductive fragrance, sweet peas make great flowers for gardens and bouquets. These pea-like flowering annuals grow in many lovely colors and are suitable for a border, a woodland garden, and a trellis or arch. See how to plant and grow sweet peas. Early sowing is one of the secrets to sweet peas!
Cultivated sweet peas go back at least 300 years. In their native Sicily, these ornamental peas have weak stems and an intense orange-jasmine-honey scent. Modern hybrids are stronger-stalked and have larger blooms.
Growing sweet peas is akin to making a pie crust. Some people have the knack, others don’t. Sweet peas are quite hardy, growing from large, easy-to-handle, pea-like seeds. Still, they’re a bit tricky because they are slow to germinate. It’s worth experimenting with different seeds each year.
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Pick them off by hand.
Pick them off by hand. Attract birds to your garden. And spray with Neem Oil!
Can I plant the seed pods
Can I plant the seed pods from wild sweet peas in my yard for next Spring? If so, when and how should I plants? Thank you!
Sweet pea pods burst open
Sweet pea pods burst open when dry, throwing their seed out so you want to collect them early. Allow to dry in a bag and store in a dry, cool place so the seeds don't rot.
This is the second year with
This is the second year with my sweet peas,,very pretty..now producing pods and I expect seeds will fall to the ground for next year..do I cut the vines - I did not do this last year but they are 6 feet now. Thanks
Congrats on successfully
Congrats on successfully growing sweet peas. According the the WSU Clark County Extension experts, "Deadhead spent flowers and remove seedpods to promote re-bloom. Once sweet pea plants diminish, simply cut them off at ground level, leaving their nitrogen-fixing roots in place to benefit their neighbors."
I have several annual sweet
I have several annual sweet pea plants and I have kept on top of the dead heading to the extent that the plants are now quite denuded of any flowers at all. Does this mean it is time to dig up the plants and throw them away or will/might they enjoy a second coming?
Deadheading should have
Deadheading should have prolongued the blooming; for sweet peas, you cut off the entire stem. Eventually, all sweet pea plants come to the end of their flowering life. Spent flowers would form seed pods if they were allowed. If you've been deadheading all along and the blooms have stopped, it's safe to say they're done.
my sweetpea is producing
my sweetpea is producing seedpods instead of flowers, what can I do to get it to flower again?
Sweet peas do not like
Sweet peas do not like extreme heat. Also, to keep them flowering as long as possible, you have to continuously pick them.
Good luck!
I planted an abundance of
I planted an abundance of Winston Churchill sweetpees beginning of june for our wedding which is on sep 21st. They plants are already a good 15 to 20 inches tall. no sign of buds yet but they must be on their way! Do you think they will still be flowering come sep 21st? Is there anything i can do to prolong the blooming period apart from dead heading them?
I planted some bush sweet
I planted some bush sweet peas in a hanging planter in early spring after the chance of frost was over. They sprouted when they should and took off like gang busters. They are supposed to grow 6-12 inches but have tripled that. I still don't have any flowers. When can I expect them? I fertilize with Miracle Grow. Thank you!
HI Patty, It takes 50 to 75
HI Patty, It takes 50 to 75 days to bloom. We're not sure where you're from but the trick to sweet peas is to plant well before the heat comes: October or November for milder winter areas and late April in cold winter areas. They need about 50 days of cool temperatures (under 60º F) to bloom. If they don't flower, it's the heat.
I have planted sweetpeas in
I have planted sweetpeas in my flower box on the balcony. The lower leaves are yellowing and drying off. What do I need to do for them.?
It could be a fungus issue or
It could be a fungus issue or a root issue. You could take a sample to your local cooperative extension for a diagnosis. Be careful not to overwater. Sweet peas prefer dried-out soil. Water when the leaves start to wilt.
I've had quite the luck with
I've had quite the luck with sweet peas, they germinated in about 1.5 weeks indoors and are steadily growing. Just put seeds in seed starting potting mix and I can't wait for them to bloom! They grow quick!
sweet peas
i am growing sweet peas but how long does it take them to grow
The days to maturity for
The days to maturity for sweet peas depend on the variety but it ranges from 55 to 70 days. Once they bloom, they keep going. Bloom time is often 8 weeks!
picking sweetpeas
Is it true..for more more blooms keep them picked?
Snails? slugs? have a pine tree around Use the fallen needles as a mulch around your plants, snails & slugs will stay away.
For sweet peas, just deadhead
For sweet peas, just deadhead the flowers when they fade. That will produce more blooms. If the plant starts to create seedpods, you'll have less blooms.
sweet peas
Thank you for the info, Love these flowers planted for the first time last summer kind of late and still got some flowers , I wont miss a beat this year on them LOL...
sweet pea seedlings
THANK You!! I'm about to plant some sweet pea seedlings which I started indoors (it's a long story). Fortunately, I logged on to learn about proper pinching, and in the process discovered that I need to protect my young'uns from slugs (which we have in abundance). I'm so grateful to have learned this from you before I put them out. Perhaps we'll have flowers instead of heartbreak...? We shall see. Love You, Dear Old Farmer's Almanac.
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It is nice to have found the almanac on FB, so much fun & so exciting, all the great information. Thanks!
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