Terra's Garden
Monthly Column by Terra Hangen

For a gardening adventure, plan a midnight sweet pea planting escapade. This can be done by a lone commando, and is even more satisfying when done with a merry band that includes children.

This midnight planting is suggested by the Irish tradition that says that sweet pea seeds planted by lamplight in the dark hours between sunset the evening before Saint Patrick’s Day, and sunrise that morning, will give you flowers that are more fragrant and larger than any you can grow from seeds planted any other time. Include your children or grandchildren for a night of drama to remember.

“Flowers are heaven’s masterpieces”, as Dorothy Parker remarked, and to me, none are more like an Impressionist painting displayed for all to admire in the Louvre, than the sweet pea.

Sweet peas are an all around flower treasure, offering a rainbow of colors, some are fragrant and they grow easily from seed. To brighten up a room or add sparkle to a friendship pick a bouquet of sweet peas, pop them in a vase and enjoy. Sweet peas lend themselves to being impromptu bouquets, needing no Waterford crystal vase, and looking festive in an old jelly jar on a kitchen table.

Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) have two main types: they grow vinelike to 6 to 10 feet tall on lattice or fence, and the 3 foot tall bush varieties. The first tip for abundant sweet peas is to plant them at the correct time of year. In mild winter areas like where I live in coastal California, where the ground does not freeze, plant seeds in October and November. Of course, I neglected to do this last fall, so I will be joining most sweet pea fanciers in planting seeds in early spring. Actually I will push the season by planting in late February.

For areas with moderate winters like the Mid-Atlantic States, plant the seeds as early as the ground is workable. You don’t need to wait for your last frost date since sweet peas can survive a touch of frost. For harsh winter areas wait till late April or early May to sow seeds.

Sweet peas adore full sun, rich well-drained soil and good air circulation. Soggy soil is not good for them, but they do need plenty of water. For very hot summer areas in Texas, Florida and the southwest, afternoon shade is helpful.

Since the seeds are as hard as pebbles, some gardeners soak them for an hour or more or nick them slightly with a nail clipper or metal nail file. I vacillate between nicking, soaking and just planting the seeds straight from the packet. This year our wet soil in mid-February coaxed me to plant directly from the packet. Of course, I have more seeds for the pre-St. Patrick’s day planting expedition, and those I will nick. So much of the fun of gardening is experimenting with what works for you.

Plant the seeds one inch deep, and expect them to sprout in 10 to 30 days. To encourage thicker growth, pinch off the growing tips when they are five inches tall. Feed once a month with liquid tomato food or fish emulsion.

Every type of sweet pea has its own beauty to recommend it, and you won’t go wrong no matter which types you choose. Not all sweet peas are fragrant, and if, like me, you adore their scent, look for the word “fragrant” on the seed packets.

Climbers have tendrils that will wrap around support, and wooden lattice, chicken wire or a fence are all ideal for them to grow on. For a climber with deep magenta rose color, and delicate fragrance, consider Lathyrus grandiflora Zorija Rose. For a climber and a mix of 6 bright colors, Lathyrus odoratus Bright and Breezy sports large flowers with a delightful scent. For delicate bicolored pastel flowers that are highly fragrant try Elegant Ladies, a climber introduced in 2007. The classic fragrant sweet pea is Cupanis Original which boasts purple/blue bicolor flowers dating back to 1699. The Spencer sweet peas are widely grown and loved for their long stems and large flowers, perfect for bouquets.

Many bush type sweet peas are available and recommended for containers, including Little Sweetheart, Heirloom Cupid, Bijou and Knee-Hi. One method for container planting is to use an 8 gallon pulp container, good potting soil, plant ten seeds and keep the 5 best plants. A month later plant five more seeds to create an extra month of blooms. Sweet peas in containers will appreciate plenty of water on hot afternoons in the sun.

Remember, keep picking the flowers which promotes more blooms and will make beautiful bouquets for your home and for friends, and undertake a night-time seed planting caper to put some intrigue in your gardening.

About the Author: For more of Terra Hangen's garden tidbits, fun garden photos of her black squirrel friend, tips for beginning writers, and a glimpse into her own journey as a writer visit her blog at http://terragarden.blogspot.com. She is celebrating the publication of her first book, Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts, written with 6 Christian writer friends, and scheduled for publication Oct. 2008 by Leafwood Publishers.