Has anyone been extremely successful with sweet peas? Do you start them indoors early? In the fall or spring? Do you put them out before winter?

I personally don't grow them but years ago when I lived in Buffalo, N.Y. there was a guy at work who did. He always planted his on Good Friday. Didn't matter when it fell or if he had to dig through snow that's when he planted them. He always had success and they were beautiful!!

Well, I have decided what I'll do. Some will be started in cell packs early then planted in fall, winter and spring. Then, also others will be direct-seeded late fall. Winter and early spring. Then I can get an idea of how to get a longer bloom period. Same with lupines...

I have had some success planting them in-ground in early Spring at the base of a Cattle Panel which serves as a trellis. I also plant Sugar Snaps at the same time. Both can tolerate some frost while growing.

ZM

evelyninthegarden said: Well, I have decided what I'll do. Some will be started in cell packs early then planted in fall, winter and spring. Then, also others will be direct-seeded late fall. Winter and early spring. Then I can get an idea of how to get a longer bloom period. Same with lupines...

I start mine in peat pots and grow with heat pad in late March here. Then by May I plant them outside in peat packs the roots are not disturbed. Be digilant when pinching back the top two leaves to make the seedling bushy. Otherwise they can get long and spindly.
What kind are you growing? I have grown the fragrant Lathyrus odoratus (Sweet Pea) is a bushy or climbing annual noted for the delicious scent of its bright colored flowers.

Yes fragrant Lathyrus odoratus. The fragrance is DIVINE!

I always heard to plant them on Saint Patrick's day. But I never have.

However, have you heard about the cool flower method? Sweet Pea would be one as a winter hardy annual to zone 7. What that means is you can start the seedlings in the fall, 6 to 8 weeks before your first expected frost and overwinter outside. They can be started indoors under lights for better seed starting soil temps required for germination, depending on the plant. They shouldn't get too big before the freeze hits (about 6") or it won't work. And they should have good drainage during winter.
Anyway, the book is Cool Flowers by Lisa Ziegler
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JBY9YS9/
(I got it from the library).

She has been interviewed on some of the garden podcast like Joe Lamp'l and Margaret Roach.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JBY9YS9/

Here is a free PDF she gave out through that podcast:
chrome-extension://ieepebpjnkhaiioojkepfniodjmjjihl/data/pdf.js/web/viewer.html?file=https%3A%2F%2Fjoegardener.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F08%2FTGW-Cool-Flowers-Planting-Guide-for-Joe-Gardener-Podcast.pdf

She has her own website. She is in the cut flower business and so offers a few things for them.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JBY9YS9/

Northlawn Flower Farm talks about her experience with it on YouTube. She also types out a list of cool flowers in the description.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JBY9YS9/

Lisa Ziegler has YouTube videos too but I haven't watched them. I'm sure they are informative.

So, just one more tweak on starting seeds. I want to try Iceland poppies even though it isn't hardy for my winters. She does suggest to start the annuals that are not hardy for your winter indoors, 6 to 8 weeks before last expected frost but results are better started in fall or use a cold frame, etc.

And if you already knew about it, I just blabbed a lot about nothing!

Loretta ~ Yes, I have watched quite a few of her videos and have her book, "Cool Flowers" on Kindle. Thank you for posting that info, as maybe someone besides myself may want to grow sweet peas. I need to get busy!

I only found the term this year and although I fall sow, I suppose I never did her method on purpose with the plan to have plants of a certain size. She makes you want to start a bunch of seeds!

Good luck with your Sweet Peas. Looking forward to seeing your photos next year!

I haven't started planting this year, I expect to wait for the weather to cool down a bit.

It just cooled off today. I should have already started some in the basement, but maybe, I will sow some seeds tomorrow in the garden. Spring sowing did not work that well, as it got hot too quickly.

I sowed my flat a few days after the last post. I left the flat outside with a empty flat over it. I transplanted a few that were big enough yesterday, and also direct-sowed some as well.

I also sowed some garden peas in another area yesterday and today.

Evelyn.. you have been busy… can't wait to see how your sweets peas will do? Sweet peas are a favorite the old ones smell so grand. Just takes one flower to keep the house smelling fresh. Are you keeping some of the seedlings inside til spring? Or will they be ok outside in your zone? Or will the weather stay ok there for them to bloom outside til winter?
I don't start sweetpeas in zone 8b until March inside and use a warming mat as they grow, it's good to prune out the top two leafs every few weeks for a thicker plant. As with many other seedlings. They seem to prefer the cooler weather.

We are still in the high 70's but by Friday we should get rain. Hopefully will calm down all 14 wild fires going started by lightening in the western cascades. Smoky here .. have plugged up all the vents on the roof. The fires are all far away but the winds are responsible for the smoky conditions near Portland and they are still battling Nakia Creek fire also in Washington has forced many out of their homes. Air conditions are RED flag high warning masks out side again and burning eyes throat. So haven't been outside doing anything til the air gets better.

We also have been coping with the shield/stink bugs. The university of Wa. Research has brought in parasite wasps to bred and planted in several areas the darn stick bugs have attacked many crops. I sprayed everything here the windows door jams and any crevice to keep them out of the house. What a pain. Are they in your area too? Spider sneaking inside too.

La Niña is coming again we are supposed to have a another wet soggy winter. Probably heavy wet snow.
https://www.oregonlive.com/wea...

Weather pretty similar to northern Calif - La Niña -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Bea ~ I have started and planted some out. I may start some in very early spring as well, but the best ones come from fall-sown plants. This year went from winter to summer, with not much spring in between and every single plant bloomed out quickly. The peonies and iris, roses, all blooming plants because it was so hot, in the 90s, right away and stayed that way for a couple of months.

The sweet pea stems were quite short as they did not have a long enough growing time. It was the worst season for blooms in the garden. Maybe next year will be better, but it is hard to predict the future.

I am only sowing hardy annuals and perennials in fall. The tender annuals will have to go out after the last frost.

Hi Evelyn - oh yes absolutely I agree last spring was very strange here too…
We had cold winter til July and ice storms in April. Our temps did not warm up til July 12 past 60's. We had just the opposite of your weather last spring all the magnolias, cherry trees, rhodies, azalias , roses , peony's , iris, etc. were all bloomin great for a much longer period of time than usual, as well as the hydrangeas setting new blooms till the end of September . As a matter of fact a few members questioned how I could have certain flowers still blooming. That issue gets old … and LaNina does effect our weather in the PNW. weather any one hears about the La Niña or El Niño it's effects are warming or cooling the Pacific Ocean that strongly effects the weather currents across the US. and due to La Niña the third year in a row which is very unusual. Last season everything was 4-6 weeks late to bloom and continued till end of July when temps exploded to 100' temps causing the majority of wildfires.
I don't usually grow annuals for a lot of reasons. Sweetpeas I love them and they are tender and have grown most annuals in the greenhouse to start them in late March/April , then put out in the garden after the last frost date. I can't sow cold flowering plants per Ziegler book directly in the fall for cool weather spring blooms due to the winters here. Some plants may self seed if it's a warmer than usual winter but rarely has that happened. Due to cold winters and frozen layers in the soil and those surprise ice storms in early summers bringing cooler weather that can last til June July all due to La Niña part of climate change.
We still have wildfires raging here smoky conditions poor air quality and toxic pollution. Very odd to experience wildfires in sept Oct. but relief is coming soon it is expected to rain Friday.

Bea ~ It was last year that we had to evacuate from the Caldor Fire in September. A lot of smoke still lingered for quite a while. I lost my Bluestone and Annie's Annuals orders, as I hadn't ordered plants in a long time. When I received them, I immediately repotted them into one gallon size as they all were quite small. I had no I idea that I would be leaving those pots for a month without water in hot weather! There was a 60 Minutes episode regarding the Caldor Fire a couple of weeks ago. It's probably on You Tube, if you didn't see it.

Yes, the PNW weather is much different than ours, especially in La
Niña or El Niño weather patterns. So who knows what next year will bring?

couldn't believe the huge amount of ash piled up over everything. I still haven't got all the ash off the roof. The last ash before the wildfire ash on the roof was found under the tiles when we re-roofed was from the Mt.Saint Helen's volcano eruption in the 1980. We didn't live here during that catastrophic event but the evidence left behind was a grim reminder of the huge explosion.

It rained today and the fires are now 100% contained after burning over 150, 000 acres from just one fire. It always amazes me how trees recover from the fire and the smothering influence of ash .

I am so glad you remained safe during the Caldor fire and your property was not damaged. Will look up the 6o min episode.

So back to sweetpeas… I hope to grow them again sometime soon.

ZenMan said: I have had some success planting them in-ground in early Spring at the base of a Cattle Panel which serves as a trellis. I also plant Sugar Snaps at the same time. Both can tolerate some frost while growing.

ZM

ZM ~ I already have sown seeds and also transplanted some from cell packs outdoors. I have also sown green peas along a different side of the garden. ( My fence, I think, is a "cattle panel" fence!) 😁

Now I need to get busy starting snapdragons. They are sometimes recommended to sow in August. Pansies, too. Well, I "missed the boat on those"! Zinnias will come later. (Calendulas first.)

I took a little trip to the fenced garden area where my sweet peas live. I was just checking them and most have come up. The ones that were already up were just fine. Oh, I'm so glad they are already planted! It's gonna be a sweet pea spring!

My sweet peas are grown in my open field. The first year I broadcast a handful of seeds gifted from a neighbor.
After that, the plants self - sow.