Sweet Peas

[CatNippy81]

I am really wanting to add some sweet pea to a few containers and my garden, but have had no luck the last two times I have tried. People keep telling me they are easy but not for me lol. I always scratch and soak until the seeds sprout, but they never flowered. Then I realized I need to get them planted earlier than I had been planting. Like the firstweek of April. I can't imagine the garden will be thawed by then. Anyone in zone 5 have good luck with planting them directly into the garden?

[evtubbergh]

We plant them in autumn for winter. Basically you need them to be in full flower before it gets hot because they don't live through a hot summer.

I.e. read what the packet says and make sure you plant them in time to prevent them getting to full summer. They are also frost resistant (up to a point obviously) so you could start them indoors then plant them out when things get warmer but before the last frost if you need to.

[CatNippy81]

Well I guess I will try and get them out the first week of April and see if that helps. I would start indoors but I simply do not have the space for that:-(

[Bobberman]

Start them in a container placed in a small cold frame. Try runner beans nice flowers and plenty to eat!! If you just want flowers try morning glories they come in lots of colors and grow very easy! Radish will give lots of nice flowers pink and white when they go to seed very quick since they are ready in 30 days!

[applestar]

One year, I tried sowing corn and sunflowers directly in the ground earlier than they can be started. I made deep holes with bulb planter which takes a divot of soil out, sowed the seeds in the bottom, then covered with cut off 2L soda bottles which fit the holes perfectly. When it was super cold, I put the caps on, but on warm sunny days, I took the caps off.

You could try that and see if you can get them started in the ground earlier.

Here's a link to the post/thread . There are photos. https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 19#p127019

I also start summer and winter squash earlier on raised mounds in bottomless black nursery pots (6" diameter) covered with cut off one gallon plastic vinegar bottles. But for sweet peas, you probably won't want that because the plack pot will heat up the root zone after it gets warmer/hot.

P.S. bobberman's idea is good too. I would say put the coldframe over where you want to plant in the ground -- not sure but I think sweet peas are not easy to transplant. You could also cover with bottomless plastic jugs.

Make sure to take the cap/lid off for ventilation -- it can get pretty hot inside the mini hot caps.

just noticed you said "soak until seeds sprout" -- don't do that. Peas spoil easily after sprouting. Soak overnight, then drain and rinse and drain 3 times a day if you can (morning, evening, and bed time). I'll dig up my seed sprouting thread. https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... hp?t=50667

The thread is about growing sprouts to eat but the principle is the same.... Except for sowing pre-germinated seeds, you need to sow as soon as you see a tiny little root starting to grow -- no more than 1/4"