How To Grow Sweet Peas: A Simple Step By Step Guide
It’s not hard to learn how to grow sweet peas and you can smell the strong fragrance just by walking by the plant. My mom plants them by her windows, so in the summer she can open her windows and invite the sweet floral smell into her home. The fragrant climbing plant adds vertical interest and a burst of color. Sweet peas can be tricky to grow in hot climates, but their smell is worth it. Here is the step by step guide to grow sweet peas with success this year.
1. Choose the Right Location
Sweet peas need sun to grow, but do not like the heat. I plant mine in a spot that gets afternoon shade to help keep the plant cooler. A place like the side of a house or shed is a great spot. Sweet peas prefer rich, well-draining soil so if you have heavy clay soil add compost at planting to loosen the soil.
2. Planting Sweet Peas and When to Plant
Sweet peas are typically grown from seeds. They have a hard seed coat, so it’s helpful to soak them in a wet paper towel in a plastic bag the night before to help them grow faster, BUT this is not necessary.
- Planting Time: Sweet peas can be sown outdoors in early spring (as soon as the soil is workable, or you can start seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Your last frost date can be found with a simple google search.
- Spacing: When planting outdoors, space the seeds about 2-4 inches apart in rows that are 6-12 inches apart.
3. Providing Support
Sweet peas are climbers, so you’ll need to provide a structure for them to grow on. A trellis, fence, or even a tomato cage can work well. As they grow, gently train the vines to climb the structure by wrapping them loosely up the trellis.
4. Watering and Fertilizing
After planting keep the ground consistently moist until the plants are about 4-6 inches tall. Then you can transition to watering deeply every few days. Try to keep the foliage dry by watering at the base of the plants to keep the plant healthy.
I add compost or worm castings to my soil at planting and that is it. You don’t want to over fertilize sweet peas with nitrogen or they will not bloom, so keep it simple!
5. Deadheading
For the longer blooms, regularly remove dead flowers (deadhead) to encourage new growth and keep the plant flowering. Sweet peas typically bloom from late spring to early summer, and deadheading can extend the blooming period for a few extra weeks.
6. How to Grow Sweet Peas for Cut Flowers
Sweet peas make a wonderful cut flower because Sweet Peas will keep blooming and blooming. Sweet peas smell so good, but they do not have a great vase life. Only lasting 4-5 days in a vase. Cut the flower off the plant before it is opened fully for the longest vase life. Although they don’t have a long vase life I think they are worth it for the smell, you can buy sweet peas at any store, and they look great with other flowers in an arrangement.
7. Sweet Pea Caution
The flowering sweet peas are not the same as snap peas (that are eaten). You CANNOT eat sweet pea pods, they are toxic. Enjoy the flowers and don’t eat the pods! The sweet peas that I have planted have fuzzy pods so it is easy to tell them from the snapping peas you eat.
Common Questions
Can I grow sweet peas in a pot?
Yes! I have a whole post about how to grow sweet peas in a container HERE.
How do you keep sweet peas alive?
Sunlight, water, plant in the spring when the weather is cooler. Simple as that!
How do I keep sweet peas blooming all summer?
Regularly remove dead flowers (deadhead) to encourage new growth and keep the plant flowering. Sweet peas typically bloom from late spring to mid summer, and deadheading can extend the blooming period for a few extra weeks.
How tall do sweet peas grow?
Usually the front of the seed packet will say how tall the plant can get, but they can grow up tp 10 feet tall!
Do sweet peas come back every year?
No, Sweet peas are annuals. You will need to replant every spring.
What temperature will kill sweet peas?
Sweet Peas are frost hardy. If they have been acclimated to the cold they can withstand temps as low as 25 degrees!
Do sweet peas need full sun?
Sweet Peas need 6-8 hours of full sun, but afternoon shade is great for them.
What month do you plant sweet peas seeds?
Plant sweet peas 8-10 weeks before your last frost in spring. Usually anytime Feb-April, in mild winter you can even plant them in the fall.
Where can I buy sweet pea seeds?
Anywhere you can buy seeds you can buy sweet peas, but my favorite places to get unique varieties are
Johnny’s Select Seeds
TrueLeaf market
Botanical Interest
Baker Creek Rare Seeds
That’s it! You are on your way to having these amazing flowers fill your home. I have a list of my favorite sweet pea varieties HERE.
Grow flowers to heal your soul,
Beth
