A bouquet of sweet peas bedside from the summer of 2008 photo archives
I've had a package of sweet pea seeds soaking for 48 hours in a wet paper towel (helps to break down their tough outer shell and speeds up the germination process) and this morning I'll plant those seeds in a big planter with tall thin bamboo stakes tangled with green garden twine for the sweet tendrils to climb. I love the colours and their scent is magical and beautiful - sweet peas are easily my number 1 favourite summer flower ... and then cosmos, hollyhocks, poppies of any and all varieties, columbine, daisies .... oh my, the list is very long.
Last year I planted the seeds too late and although I had a pot of tall, tangled, amazing foliage - no blooms ever formed. Sweet peas, or peas of any kind like to be planted in still cool soil. So I'm on it this season. And, sigh, I have a gardening buddy this year, a partner in crime in taming the terracotta gardens. Sigh, sigh, sigh. Dreams really do come true ... uh huh ! ya know they do.
i am struggling to grow sweet peas. i soaked mine and planted them - a week later i see nothing pushing up. i did find some already sprouted at a nursery and bought them, and struggling to keep them healthly enough to bloom. i envy your cool winters which are essential, i believe, for sweet peas. I will start even earlier next year, now that i built a greenhouse over one of my raised beds.
ReplyDeletebeautiful photos.
chickory they will love the early start in a raised bed and in a greenhouse. A local nursery here always has a wall of sweet peas climbing up a grid made of household twine in their greenhouse (which opens late in May). You walk in and are instantly hit with that heavenly scent. Amazing. Good luck with those Georgia sweet peas !
ReplyDeleteOK, you two have convinced me to give these a try. Wonder if I'm too late?
ReplyDeleteHey B (Shamu that is) try them ... they are so lovely
ReplyDeleteDreams, flowers, and partners in crime. This is good. This is very very good.
ReplyDeleteI live in the cold PNW, so after reading this I'm going to start mine this weekend. I love them, but have never tried to grow them.
ReplyDeleteI am late to the party but I am gonna give them a whirl down here in balmy Zone 6 as well!
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