Sweet dreams are made of peas
Here are Renee Shepherd’s and Steve Hampson’s tips for growing great sweet peas:
No soaking required
Sweet peas are slow to sprout, taking one to four weeks depending on the temperature, but pre-soaking doesn’t speed germination, Shepherd and Hampson say. Hampson plants seeds directly in the ground or in flats for transplanting when they’re a few inches high. Shepherd hastens germination by nicking the shell of each seed with a nail clipper (watch her video, “How to Start and Grow Sweet Peas” at reneesgarden.com) but says it’s not mandatory. Better to use fresh seed and follow the instructions on your seed packets, Shepherd added.
Think sun, good soil and strong support
Choose a sunny spot for your sweet peas and a sturdy support system. Sow seeds in a moist, loose soil enriched with plenty of organic materials, such as compost. Hampson uses a chain link fence for a long hedge of blooms, as well as a tall metal tripod draped with netting so the flowers’ delicate tendrils can easily take hold. Make sure your netting/support is low enough for the little plants to reach, Shepherd said, or the flowers will just sprawl on the ground.
Containers work too
Breeders have developed varieties especially for growing in containers, but Hampson said he’s successfully grown all kinds of sweet peas in pots big enough to support a strong root system and support stakes (at least 20 inches wide and 16 inches deep). Hampson just swaps out the pots he uses for tomatoes to grow his sweet peas but says to be sure to use fresh soil and a sunny spot. Watch his growing tips at lat.ms/2AJFlan
Slug it out
Sweet peas’ biggest enemies, aside from heat, are snails, slugs and birds. Shepherd recommends covering tender seedlings with strawberry baskets to protect them from birds and dusting around the plants with Sluggo, a nontoxic snail and slug killer.