How to Plant Sweet Peas

Sweet peas are an old-fashioned favorite of many gardeners. These fast-growing vines start easily from seeds. Gardeners can train sweet peas to grow up mailboxes, porch railings, the sides of a deck, or a decorative trellis. Anywhere sweet peas are growing, there is sure to be a delightful perfume scenting the summer air.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Compost Spade Rake Trowel Sweet pea seeds Nail clipper Water

1. Select a growing location that receives full sun.

2. Prepare the area by incorporating the compost completely into the soil using a spade.

3. Rake the soil surface until it's smooth. Make a 1-inch-deep furrow with the trowel.

4. Clip through the outer covering of each sweet pea seed with a nail clipper. The clip should be just enough to crack the outer shell of the seed.

5. Place the sweet pea seeds into the furrow approximately 2 inches apart. Cover the seeds with 1 inch of soil.

6. Water the area carefully so that the seeds are not disturbed.

7. Watch for seedlings to emerge from the ground within one to two weeks from planting. Approximately two weeks later, when the seedlings have four to six leaves and are several inches high, thin the seedlings so that they are roughly 6 inches apart.

Tips & Warnings

• In mild climates, sow sweet pea seeds between September and November. In cold climates, sow sweet pea seeds one month prior to the last frost. There are many different sweet pea varieties that produce a range of pea pod yields. Read seed labels to find a variety with your desired pea pod yield.

References

• How to Plant Sweet Peas