All About Sweet Peas!
So many of you have made the brave jump into growing Sweet Peas, but maybe you aren’t exactly sure how to get these little babies to flourish…
Don’t worry: I’m here to help!
Sweet Peas are one of my very favorite flowers; Let me help you grow them in your garden!
After reading through my Guide for Growing Sweet Peas, there are a few considerations for you, before you dive in:
The first thing you’ll want to decide is: WHERE will you plant them?
Sweet Peas require sunlight, and a trellis to climb. My sweet peas often grow well over 6 Feet tall! A strong trellis is needed (I’ve had netting come crashing down in the wind more than once!) We use fencing on the bottom half, and this trellis netting * secured to rebar for the top half!
I space my seedlings about 4” apart. You can see a visual of my spacing in this reel. Sweet Peas grow straight up (with some branching while climbing) and their roots tend to head straight down, which makes them perfect for crowding together closely!
Sweet Peas begin blooming in July, but they prefer temps that are a little cooler for growing. That means: Don’t wait too long!! I often start my seeds on Valentine’s day, and transplant the seedlings out by the end of March.
Pro Tip: if you have a spot in your yard that has shade in the late afternoon, your Sweet Peas would appreciate the break from the hot sun at the end of the summer!
You’ll also want to be PREPARED for the pests! The biggest pests I deal with on my Sweet Peas are SLUGS and APHIDS. Ugh, I hate them both. My go-to slug deterrent is Sluggo *. To help with Aphids, I often interplant marigolds and allium, as well as spray the sweet peas with a hose to knock them down. If ladybugs land in your garden, REJOICE: I’ve read they have the ability to eat up to 75 aphid per day. But keep in mind: purchasing harvested ladybugs and placing in your garden isn’t a sustainable or efficient way to introduce ladybugs. You can read about that here.
KEEP THEM GOING! : While the seedlings are growing, you may only need to water them 1-2 times per week before the summer heat hits. Their roots tend to head down deep into the soil, so deep soaking 1-2 times weekly will be sufficient. If you notice the leaves drooping, give them more frequent waterings.
Once per week, during the growing phase, I like to use this fish fertilizer * during my watering.
Sweet Peas are a cut-and-come-again flower, meaning you should cut, cut, CUT!! You can “pinch” or cut off the middle growing stem early on (when there are 3 or more sets of leaves on the seedling) to encourage branching as well.
If you want to save seeds, stop cutting at the end of August. This will allow the plant to continue blooming, fading to a seed pod, and maturing before the heavy fall rains and freezing temps come in mid to late October.
Hopefully now you are feeling ready to get your Sweet Peas from tiny seed all the way to beautiful blossom! As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to send me an email! I’m happy to help!
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