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in House and Garden· Uncategorized

How to Grow Sweet Peas from Seed – Spring Garden Planning

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This is my simple way to grow sweet peas from seed every year.

Sweet Pea Meanings

In the language of flowers, sweet peas symbolize bliss, pleasure, and leaving after a positive experience. Giving someone a bouquet of sweet peas is a lovely way to say thank you for the lovely time and adieu!

White sweet peas in the back garden

Always Sweet Peas

At the age of 18, I had one trunk and moved out of my parent’s small home in the country. I was in love and followed him all the way from Pennsylvania to California.

A country girl out of her element

I was naive and sometimes felt so alone, while the first few weeks in California were both exciting and scary, I remember being afraid to walk down the busy sidewalk by myself. Dino was living with his Zio Marcello in the back of a storefront, and a few days after I arrived in Santa Barbara, I moved into a rented room in Marcello’s girlfriend’s family home.

I didn’t know what to expect and had no idea of how lucky I would be

With my one big trunk in tow, we pulled up to a beautiful old stately home that was encircled by a stone wall covered in jasmine. Turning in the one opening onto a curved brick drive, there was a front garden that framed the house with tall pine trees, a persimmon, a few old palms, pachysandra, and other plants that I don’t know their names but had sure left an impression on me.

Just inside the house, a grand staircase encompassed an old grandfather clock, while curving its way up to the library above. To the left was a big comfortable, welcoming family kitchen that looked out to a greenhouse and lovely terraced half-acre garden with tangerine trees in the back, where I can still remember seeing one of the family cats happily roaming about.

bouquet of sweet peas in a canning jar

Moving in

Amy and her mom Sarah both lived in the house. Amy’s two brothers had moved out earlier that year. While missing my own family, Amy’s became like a second one to me. Her mom helped me to find a good job, showed me how to appreciate and cook good food (curry, artichokes, and avocados), and taught me the names of many different California plants. Sarah’s garden was filled with lovely cottage flowers, roses, herbs, and citrus trees, but my favorites were always her sweet peas.

When blooming, Sarah’s home was always filled with fresh-cut bouquets of sweet peas and is only something I can describe as heavenly because to try and explain their scent is almost impossible…old-fashioned roses, orange blossoms and hyacinths all mixed together maybe? How delightful it was to come home to a chattering, cozy house after working all day, and have their sweet aroma greet me at the door!

Sweet Peas growing up a handmade support from branches and twigs

A fond adieu

Now it is years later and when I smell a bouquet of sweet peas, my senses are overcome with happy comforting memories that take me right back to that big old house.

While Sarah is gone now, Amy and I are family, we see each other often, and both have one daughter that share the same middle name, Sarah! That is why there are always sweet peas in my garden and in my heart.

A few sweet peas growing in the garden last year

Tips for growing Sweet Peas from Seed

A few sweet peas growing in the garden last year

Sweet Peas are vining and need support to grow up and flower. Some types of structures that can work are trellises, mesh or twine on supports, and fences. The plants will form tendrils as they grow and wrap around the support you provide. The structure must be well anchored in the ground to support the weight of the vines.

A few simple things you can do to help your sweet peas thrive

  • Add a scoop of compost when planting sweet peas because they love nutrient-rich soil.
  • Mulch around the base of the sweet peas, not touching the stems, to help them to retain moisture and keep their roots cool while growing.
  • When sweet peas begin to flower, start cutting them right away to bring inside because the more you cut the more flowers will be produced and the more you will have for your vases!

Supplies to Grow Sweet Peas from Seed

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for details.

  • Sweet Pea Seeds…my favorites are from Floret Flower Farm and Johnny’s
  • Cups for soaking seeds
  • Plastic Plant Tags
  • Potting Soil – I use Espoma Organic Potting Mix
  • Small Hand Trowel
  • Large Bowl for soil
  • Pots/Container – I use these strong, biodegradable and disposable coffee/teacups from BEELEEVE
  • Espoma BioTone Starter
  • Obelisk or Trellis Netting or other climbing structure
    (I have used both of these and have been extremely satisified.)

How to Grow Sweet Peas from Seed

Sweet Pea seeds soaking overnight
  1. Soak your Sweet Pea seeds overnight up to 24 hours. Don’t forget to label them.
Getting ready to plant sweet peas from seed

2. The next day, gather all of your supplies

An easy and deep container to use for sweet pea seed planting

3. Using a pencil, poke drainage holes in your containers, if they don’t have them already.

Sweet Pea planting prep

4. Fill a large bowl with potting soil and a scoop of the bio-tone starter. Add a few cups of water to the soil mixture and stir it all together. Add just enough to form a ball that will fall apart if you squeeze too hard.

The perfect container for growing sweet pea from seed

5. Fill the containers 3/4’s full with the mix. Tap the top of the soil line down lightly.

Three little sweet pea seeds in each pot

6. Sow your Sweet Pea seeds 3 per pot to produce 3 growing vines. Tagging the varieties as you go.

Someone is helping me plant sweet peas from seed
Moving the sweet pea seeds out to out unheated greenhouse

7. Move to a protected cool, and bright location, like your porch.

spritzing the tops of freshly planted sweet pea seeds

8. Spritz with water on top.

A few sweet peas sprouting from seed after 10 days

9. In about 10 days you will see some growth starting.

Little Sweet Peas sprouting after a few weeks

10. Once the plants have grown to 6” in height, it is best to pinch 1″ off of their tips to help them branch out to produce more flowering stems which will make the sweet peas bushier instead of spindly.

Growing sweet peas in a container
Last year’s sweet peas growing on an obelisk on the back porch

11. Harden sweet peas off by putting them out in the day and returning them to a frost-free place at night.

12. Once all risks of frost have passed, plant sweet peas in the ground or a container with supports.

They do best if planted in full sun if you live in the northern half of the US. In the South, give them some afternoon shade.

The Farmhouse Flower Farm's sweet peas for cutting
The Farmhouse Flower Farm above. My sweet pea dreams!

There are a lot of good tips out there for planting sweet peas, and one of my favorite places to find them is The Farmhouse Flower Farm’s Instagram page where she has a whole story about growing sweet peas that is easy to follow and enjoyable to watch.

OTHER GARDEN LINKS TO VISIT

  • Favorite Gardening Books
  • Late Winter, Planting from Seeds – Spring Garden Planning
  • How to Plant Microgreen and Salad Green Seeds

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Not only a simple way to grow sweet peas from seed but it's the story of how I needed these pretty cottage flowers in an uncertain time

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Living a simple life, creating handmade pieces, always inspired by nature & antiques

Hi, I’m Jenn. I’m so glad you are here! I live in a small town in Pennsylvania with my husband and our three tuxedo cats. Sometimes my daughter is here too, but mostly she’s far away doing what she loves.

Come and join me as I write about simple traditions, handmade projects, decorating ideas, homemade food, cottage gardening…  finding joy and making things pretty!

I hope to inspire you with simple, beautiful ideas and how to find happiness in everyday life.

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