We are in love with sweet peas. They’re the most delicate, fragrant flower around with the most beautiful vine and tendrils. The smell is divine. Sweet Peas have risen in popularity over the past few years, but I don’t know many who grow them in the south (Zone 8A). We have cracked the code on what works well for growing sweet peas in our zone and would love to share that with you!
Because they bloom in spring and go dormant in heat, planting Sweet Peas in the south requires an earlier plant time. I would consider Sweet Peas to be a ‘cool flower’. Plant in the fall for an early spring harvest. For more information about cool flowers, read Lisa Mason Ziegler’s Cool Flowers.
There are many suppliers to order seed from, but Floret and Johnny’s are some of the best. There are so many unique colors to grow. We plant right after our first frost in October/November at about 6 inches apart. Sweet Peas also require a trellis. Hortonova Netting attached to t-posts works well, but we recently switched to a metal panel in order to reuse it year after year. We also pinch back our sweet peas to encourage branching.
Once your flowers begin to bloom, pick them continuously. If blooms are left on the plant, they will begin to set seed. We’ve found that our stems have a vase life of 3-6 days and they make a fragrant addition to any bouquet. When the season begins to turn hot, the vine will begin to die back and it will begin to set seeds. These pods can be harvested, dried, and saved for seed for next year.