I adore annual sweet peas and believe that they are the most alluring and unforgettable garden flowers because of their beautiful scent, ruffled, winged blossoms, and treasure trove of radiant hues. These fluted beauties are excellent for cutting, and a tiny bouquet of them will fill a room with a mouthwatering aroma that makes me think of orange blossoms and honey. Sweet peas’ delicate, alluring scent is one of nature’s best-kept secrets; it has never been artificially imitated and is never overbearing or cloying.
There are now a large number of options available in a wide range of colors, from the most delicate sweet pastels to rich, vivid deep hues, including stripes and bicolors. You have a choice of classic, tall, quickly-growing vining sweet peas, non-climbing, dwarf kinds for beds and borders, and variants that cascade 8 to 10 inches in containers. All will beautify and fill the garden with a divine aroma in the spring and summer.
Sweet pea horticulture has a lengthy and fascinating history. On an island off the coast of Sicily in 1699, Father Cupani, a botanizing monk, was the first to gather sweet peas in the wild. Eckford, an Englishman, started hybridizing and selecting sweet peas in the 19th century, bringing in larger varieties in a wider spectrum of hues. These “grandifloras,” which are now referred to as “old-fashioned” or “heirloom,” were highly praised as cut flowers.
In this time, cultivars that were more suited to American garden conditions were created by American seed producers who were growing sweet pea seeds for export to the English market and for American seed catalogs. The coastal region near Lompoc, California, which is chilly, moderate, and windy, is perfect for growing sweet peas because the climate prevents the usual bee visitors from visiting the blooms, preventing cross-pollination and allowing for the preservation of exceptionally pure seed strains. Today, that region, together with England, New Zealand, and Tasmania, continue to supply a large portion of the world’s sweet pea seed.
You will find growing sweet peas to be quite gratifying if you follow the right guidelines and timing for planting. Sadly, sweet peas have a reputation for being challenging to produce, especially in the Midwest and Southeast. However, after speaking with successful sweet pea gardeners around the nation for many years, I am confident that sweet peas can thrive everywhere in the nation. Their beauty and smell are definitely worth the effort even in the rare places where they are more difficult to grow. Knowing when to plant the seeds and how to take care of sweet peas effectively are crucial.
When To Plant Sweet Pea Seeds
Sweet peas can be planted in the fall and again in the spring in regions with warm winters that experience prolonged rainy winters and cold summers, such as the Pacific Northwest. Sue, a gardener from Seattle and the creator of our website, plants seeds in April or May for “armfuls of blossoms” through September.
Plant seeds as soon as the ground is workable in rich, well-drained soil in locations with temperate winters, such as the mid-Atlantic states, which experience humid summers and early, unexpected summer heat. Don’t wait until you plant other annual flowers like sunflowers or cosmos or until the date of your last frost (sweet peas may withstand minor frosts). Your sweet peas won’t be developed enough to withstand the hot temperatures of early summer. If it doesn’t rain, make sure to water your sweet pea plants because they require constant moisture.
Nancy Hammer, a market gardener in Virginia, starts seeds indoors in jumbo packs or 4 inch pots in late March so that they can be planted outdoors as soon as they have two or three pairs of leaves. This allows her to get a head start on the season and prepare for the unpredictability of spring weather. In early to mid April, she also plants seeds straight in the ground. In this manner, she will be ready with healthy seedlings regardless of whether it is chilly and rainy well into spring or if sudden hot weather arrives.
Both Susan Keating in Maine and Jay Leshinsky in Vermont wait until the spring soil can be easily handled before planting, often in late April through mid May, in locations with extremely harsh winters like New England where the earth freezes hard and heaves. Additionally, they get a head start by starting seeds indoors a month to six weeks in advance and planting them outside as soon as the weather allows through May. In either case, keep in mind that sweet peas are unaffected by late, mild frosts. Sweet peas planted in the ground in northern regions in April and May will blossom fully in late summer and continue to do so virtually until the first frost. If the summers are particularly hot, choose a location where the vines will receive some afternoon shade and water if it doesn’t rain.
when to plant sweet peas
When between October and April, plant sweet pea seeds. Aim for late October or late November or late February or early March for the best outcomes because midwinter temperatures and light conditions aren’t the optimum. In April or May, sweet peas can also be planted directly into the ground. During a moderate period between March and May, sow your sweet pea seeds and plants.
Is it too late to plant in the winter?
A method of starting seeds in the winter called “winter sowing” does not require a greenhouse, heat mats, or grow lights. For those with limited space who cannot grow seeds inside, this is an excellent method.
Sowing seeds in the cold is exactly what it sounds like! Generally speaking, depending on where you live, you can start Winter Sowing around the Winter Solstice (Dec. 21) up to early March.
Here is the fundamental idea:
1. Select seedlings from healthy plants “Cold-resistant (I’ll mention some examples below).
2. Locate a plastic bottle, such as a milk jug, soda bottle, or salad container “containers with clear tops, vinegar jugs, deep foil pans, etc. Tall containers must be divided into two pieces so that you can reach the bottom.
3. Make drainage holes at the container’s bottom.
4. Add potting soil to the container, then scatter seeds over it.
5. Replace the lid or top and tape it in place. Make sure there are vents for both air flow and snow/rain entry.
6. Set the bins outside in the backyard and wait until spring!
Is December a good time to plant sweet pea seeds?
Since most varieties of sweet peas won’t germinate in warm or hot weather, it’s never too cold to start a fresh crop. While certain plants are bred to thrive in hotter areas, the majority need to be planted when the earth is cool to the touch and between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The ideal time to plant sweet peas in USDA planting zones 7 to 9 is in late October to mid-November, or even into December if there are no harsh frosts in the area. It is okay to plant them if the soil is still workable at that time.
Will sweet peas grow in the UK in January?
Choosing sweet peas for summer while it’s dark and gloomy outside gives you a good injection of hope since they have a pop of pink, a frilly edge, and a pure white bloom against a brilliant blue sky. Consider vases full of exquisitely perfumed flowers for just a few pounds of seed.
The greatest sweet peas, according to myth, are sown in December to give them time to establish roots while the winter’s chill maintains the top growth robust. But I’ve discovered that sowing in early February and January produces similarly nice results. Sweet pea seeds planted right now will require protection, whether it be a cold greenhouse, a plastic patio type greenhouse, a cold frame, a cold front porch, or a protected balcony. The plants cannot be kept below 5°C, therefore you must keep the harshest frost off of them. However, once the seedlings are established, they should be maintained cool to prevent sideshooting, which results in bushier growth and more flowers.
The longer the single root can extend before it hits the bottom of the pot and begins branching, the happier the plant will be. They are therefore planted in larger pots, known as long toms in the past; the contemporary counterpart is a deep root trainer made of reusable plastic. These are excellent investments. As an alternative, you can plant the entire contraption in spring with one seed inside a toilet paper tube; the cardboard will decompose. If you just have a tiny amount of room, plant the seeds tightly in a small seed tray and transplant the seedlings as soon as they are big enough to handle.
Seeds germinate best at 10C, so sow them on a warm windowsill. Make sure to use an excellent peat-free multipurpose compost and to cover the seeds with a thin layer of it (5 mm) after sowing. Just set the pot in a tray of water and don’t press the compost down. Wait to water again until your seeds start to sprout. Move the plants outside as soon as the first shoots appear to prevent them from growing lanky. Other than watering, there isn’t much to worry about besides slugs and mice. You should have a lot of blooms by June if you plant in the spring after all likelihood of harsh frost has passed.
Roger Parsons Sweet Peas provides great value and a great variety combination. For the best blooms for the garden, choose the Old-Fashioned Mixture; if you want cuttings for vases, use the Semi-Grandiflora Mixture or the Paintbox Mixture. If you have room for just one, Matucana, a wild sweet pea that was imported to the UK from Sicily in 1699, has to be it. It has the most wonderful aroma and lovely magenta and purple blossoms.
What time should I begin my winter sowing?
I adore germinating seeds inside. Even when it’s below freezing outside, playing in the dirt is a terrific way to get the season started. However, indoor seedling growth can be a little challenging. Additionally, those seed trays take significant space, which not every homeowner is fortunate enough to have. Space restrictions forced one gardener to think outside the box and come up with a unique solution. The approach she took is the topic of today’s program; winter sowing is an easy method for starting seeds effectively outside.
Trudy Davidoff, a new seed starter, had trouble finding room. She didn’t have enough space in her little New York house to fit seed trays. Trudy conducted some research and discovered that many types of seeds require a chilling time to initiate germination. She made the decision to attempt to emulate what naturally occurs.
She planted seeds in outdoor planters in the late winter and watched to see if they would sprout in the spring. The seeds did germinate without any additional water, fertilizer, or special care, and as the temperature increased, so did Trudy’s seedlings.
A few decades later, Trudy’s techniques are gaining wider acceptance. Why not adore it? Winter sowing is actually rather simple, and some of the greatest tools are objects you already have at home that have been repurposed. You can essentially put the seeds in the growth medium and forget about them until you are ready to transplant them into your garden beds.
Winter Sowing Benefits
Growing plants can be a costly pastime. It’s not necessary, and growing your own plants from seed is an excellent method to cut costs. Well, planting seeds in the winter is about as inexpensive as it gets. The soil is the only item you really need to invest in, but even that won’t cost much.
Many seed exchange clubs exist where you can obtain seeds for nothing or for extremely low cost. Even if you buy seeds, the investment of a few bucks is well worth it. These days, you can buy seed packets almost anywhere, but this is another case of “you get what you pay for.” Quality affects the number of seeds that will germinate as well as how healthy your mature plants will be.
I advise looking for seeds that are organic. The plants you produce will be healthier because their parent plant wasn’t treated with or exposed to chemicals, whether you receive them from an exchange or spend an extra dollar to buy organic seeds.
Items you already have in your home, including as milk jugs, take-out food containers, and other sizable plastic containers with deep bottoms and transparent tops, provide excellent container choices for winter sowing. Duct tape and a marker are also possibly on hand.
You won’t require extra lighting, heat mats, or fans for winter sowing. This technique resembles a “tough love approach to seed starting,” but in reality it is merely imitating nature. You also save money on your power bill.
A lot of additional equipment may be needed when starting seeds indoors. I spend money on high-quality lighting, fans, germination heat mats, and other things for my seed-starting space.
Seedlings grown inside are also susceptible to the preventable but frequent issue of “damping off,” a fungal disease. It usually kills seedlings at the soil’s surface due to insufficient airflow. That’s no issue with winter sowing.
Additionally, winter seeding saves time. You won’t need to spend time hardening off seedlings before putting them in your garden beds because they will grow under natural light and temperature conditions. They will be tougher and stockier than if they were growing indoors with insufficient light because they will already be accustomed to the environment.
Although I enjoy beginning seeds indoors, the hardening off procedure can take some time.
Time-consuming is the hardening off process. Your indoor-grown seedlings must be gradually acclimated to full sun for 7–10 days. In my situation, that entails manually carrying 68 complete trays of seedlings in and out each day while they are being hardened off.
I’ll admit that I prefer beginning seedlings indoors despite the added work. I enjoy giving them the hands-on attention they need and watching as they grow into vibrant new plants after emerging from the ground. I never get weary of watching the daily wonder of growth because of something. However, if you’re the type of gardener who would rather plant something and then forget about it, winter sowing is perfect for you.
You may be concerned about your seeds freezing if you haven’t attempted it before. Don’t. In the natural world, seeds frequently freeze. Some types of seeds need a freeze (or extremely cold temperatures) in order to germinate at all, and freezing actually lengthens the life of seeds.
What you should be on the lookout for is planting seeds too early in the winter. In the event of a brief early warm spell, the seeds can sprout too quickly. The young seedlings won’t be mature enough to survive when the temperatures drop again. A good rule of thumb for those of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere is to hold off starting our winter sowing until just around Christmas.
What to Sow
There are so many different kinds of seeds that make excellent candidates for planting in the winter. When you’re ready to use this strategy, you have a wide range of possibilities to pick from, including edible cool-season crops, blooming plants, and herbs.
Perennials will be our first choice. The hardiness zone that is suitable for the perennial plant you’re contemplating should be your first consideration when figuring out if a seed variety is a good choice for winter sowing. It’s likely a suitable choice for winter sowing if it’s naturally hardy in your zone.
Investigate the seed packet. Another reliable sign of a seed type that will respond well to winter sowing is whether there is any suggestion that the seeds need to be stratified or scarified.
Generally speaking, seeds need some form of stimulus to end their dormancy and initiate germination. The process of stratification involves waking up dormant organisms by subjecting them to extended cold exposure.
Take a look at what occurs in nature. Some seeds must endure the winter before sprouting once they fall to the ground. They wouldn’t survive the winter if they instantly germinated after coming into touch with the soil.
They don’t actually start to germinate until after a specific amount of time under cool or freezing temperatures. It is possible to simulate this process by putting the seeds in a freezer or refrigerator, but winter planting eliminates that step. As the days become longer and the soil gets warmer, the seeds are exposed to the frigid temperatures of the natural environment and emerge out of dormancy.
A wonderful illustration is milkweed. If you don’t provide milkweed seeds the right amount of chill, it’s difficult to get them to germinate. Sowing in the winter is a much simpler way to create the conditions milkweed requires.
A notable example of a perennial that self-sows its seeds in the fall is milkweed, often known as butterfly weed. For spring germination to occur, the cooling period is required. It is a fantastic option for winter sowing as well. These milkweed seeds are prepared to fly and will probably do so with the upcoming gust of wind. Their feathery tails can hold them in the air for long periods of time before they land back on the ground.
Another indication of a favorable alternative for winter sowing is the word “scarification.” Many seed kinds have a tough outer shell intended to safeguard the seed embryo. The digestive systems of birds and other animals as well as freezing temperatures are only two of the ways in which those hard shells are broken down in nature.
The method of manually weakening the tough seed coating is called scarification. There are numerous ways to accomplish this, but with winter sowing, it is not necessary. The seed coat may naturally deteriorate in the frigid temperatures.
Other words to search for in seed kinds you want to plant in the winter:
- self-sowing
- direct-sowing
- cold-hardy
- pre-chill
- when cool, sowed
You can be sure to use the winter sowing method once you see those on a seed packet or in the seed description.
The viability of its winter sowing can also be inferred from the variety name. See a pattern here? Alpine, polar, Siberian, oriental, and arctic Because of their natural climate or their capacity to tolerate frigid conditions, some cultivars received their names.
Siberian iris, Oriental poppy, and Arctic daisy seeds can be sown, and the containers can be left outside in the late winter to grow your own, low-cost seedlings for the yard.
There are many hardy annual alternatives as well, and their seed packets frequently have the same important wording.
Exactly what is a “hardy annual”? These are plants that can withstand a slight frost and go through their entire life cycle in a single year. They develop over the course of a year, produce, and then pass away; they won’t sprout again. Instead of needing to germinate indoors, they set seed for the new generation the following year and can sprout there.
The list of examples is endless and includes delphinium, bee balm, and snapdragon. There are a ton of options to consider.
In a large portion of the United States, the coneflower, black-eyed susan, and verbena are perennial flowers. They make great selections for winter sowing and are also good self-sowers.
The traditional cool-season vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are some tasty possibilities for winter sowing. Leafy greens such as bok choy, kale, and lettuce are other hardy annual alternatives. Sage, oregano, dill, and mint are suitable herbs for winter sowing as well.
In any case, what is lost by giving it a shot? Don’t be afraid to experiment and see what happens if there is a variety that you wish to try winter sowing in your garden. The only thing you really lose if those seeds don’t sprout is a package of seeds, but you gain valuable experience anyway. The potential profit is so great compared to the tiny risk.
You may have noticed that I didn’t specify all the kinds that would be ideal for winter sowing. Tobacco, squash, eggplant, and peppers are all summer edible crops that require warmer temperatures. Your best option for those kinds of plants to start the season off early is to start the seeds indoors.
If you’ve never tried seed starting inside, I promise you’ll enjoy it. To be honest, it requires a little bit more time and space, but it’s one of the gardening activities I find most satisfying. possibly also for you.
How to Winter Sow
Cold-tolerant seeds may withstand subfreezing conditions in nature, but keep in mind that they also receive some form of natural protection. Those seeds fall to the ground and are invariably protected from the elements by debris such as leaves.
In order to transplant them into your garden or landscaping beds in the spring, you also need to offer some protection while containing them throughout the winter sowing process. Therefore, your aim is to construct a miniature greenhouse.
You can find a variety of possibilities if you look about your house. To let in sunshine, look for anything that is clear or just barely opaque. Additionally, it must be able to survive below-freezing temperatures. If it has a handle, then better.
Although I dislike plastic, it is a reality of modern life. Thankfully, it’s the ideal substance for winter sowing. The standard option is milk jugs made of plastic. They are spacious along the bottom when cut in half, and the top admits a lot of light while trapping some heat and moisture.
For winter sowing, translucent milk, water, and food containers with clear plastic lids work well as miniature greenhouses.
Numerous meal take-out containers with transparent plastic covers and two-liter drink bottles are both excellent options. Ever purchase a rotisserie chicken? Keep the container; it’s perfect for winter sowing.
As soon as you have your container, you must make provisions for drainage as well as for air and moisture venting. There are several methods to do this, but my preferred method is to use a Phillips-head screwdriver to make a few holes in the top and bottom of the container. I warm the screwdriver’s tip and press it on the plastic. It melts a quick, sizable hole with little effort.
When you’re drilling those holes, don’t skimp. To avoid the possibility of water collecting at the soil’s base, you should place many along the bottom. There should be numerous venting holes on the container’s top as well.
Slice along the diameter of a milk jug or soda bottle 5–6 inches from the bottom up. Don’t fully stop using it. Instead, allow a space of about an inch to act as a lid hinge. Voila! You’re prepared to plant some seeds in the winter, my gardening friend.
Make sure all containers have enough holes to allow for drainage and airflow. This crucial step can be accomplished quickly and easily by heating the tip of a phillips-head screwdriver. To make these holes, I heated the tip of a 12-inch galvanized spike.
You’ll need dirt next. You have the option of using seed starting mix, but since your goal is to mimic natural outdoor circumstances, you don’t need to use a sterile or as light a medium as you would for indoor seed starting. However, I don’t advise using garden soil because it is too heavy for this procedure. The ideal soil is regular potting or container soil.
Once the seeds have sprung up, you’ll need enough soil to give the roots room to grow. Until the seedlings have developed a strong enough root system to recover from handling, they cannot be put into the garden. A decent general guideline for winter sowing is a soil depth of about 4 inches.
The tops of the milk jugs are pushed back and soil and seed are inserted after they have been chopped almost completely around their circumference. Then, all that’s left to do is to secure the seam with duct tape after repositioning the tops.
Your seeds should be evenly distributed over the area. Lightly push them down with your hand. Sprinkle a very thin layer of dirt on top of the seeds with a delicate hand. It is preferable to use too little here than too much.
Gently water them in, then turn them over or cover them with a lid. Due to its extreme durability, duct tape works well to secure the top and keep it from being blown or knocked off.
Don’t forget to indicate on the container’s label whatever kind of seeds you’ve planted. Any permanent marker will do, but keep in mind that the container will be exposed to hard weather for a few months. Under these conditions, you would be shocked at how rapidly even permanent markers disappear.
I like to use a paint pen instead because of this. The least prone to fade in the UV radiation and freezing conditions are those that are easily accessible. I label the top of the container with the seed variety while also giving myself a small margin of safety. I also label the container’s bottom with the seed variety. I won’t have to strain my memory to recall what I have flourishing and ready to plant come spring because the bottom won’t be visible.