
Perennial Sweet Peas
Garden Orchids
This old heirloom vine, also called everlasting pea, was grown by Thomas Jefferson. The vigorous vines can gr...
This old heirloom vine, also called everlasting pea, was grown by Thomas Jefferson. The vigorous vines can grow 9 to 12 feet tall, bearing heavy clusters of dainty 1 1/2 inch blossoms in white, blushed pink and carmine rose. Drought-tolerant perennial sweet peas make a handsome flowering screen that comes back reliably every season. Although perennial sweet pea blossoms are not as fragrant as their scented annual cousins, their pearly flower clusters make lovely bouquets that seem to arrange themselves.
PERENNIAL VINE
Spring/summer bloom
Hardy to Zone 3
EASIEST TO START OUTDOORS
Perennial sweet peas will thrive in a spot with well-drained soil, so dig deeply and enrich with aged manure or compost. Young plants are easy to train up a trellis, fence or wall, but you can also let them grow as a vigorous spreading perennial ground cover to hide neglected and bare areas. If training vines up, erect sturdy permanent supports for these strong growers at planting time. Sow seeds 1 inch deep and 3 inches apart in full sun as soon as ground can be worked in early spring. In mild winter areas, where the ground doesn’t freeze, plant in fall; seeds will germinate and form strong root systems, then overwinter to bloom strongly in spring. When seedlings are 2 inches tall, be sure to thin seedlings to stand 12 inches apart to allow plants room to mature.
GROWING NOTES
Be sure to protect young seedlings from their most common predators: birds, slugs and snails, especially if fall planting. If given good drainage, established perennial sweet peas are reliable and trouble free and can spread quickly. To keep flowers coming, mulch, keep well watered and remove spent blooms. In early fall, vines will begin to yellow, die back and go dormant. Cut the dead foliage to the ground. Vines will resprout the following spring.
Cold Winters |
Mild Winters |
Sun/Shade |
Sow Seeds |
Days To Germinate |
Mature Height |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
March – May
|
Sept – April
|
Sun/part shade
|
1 inch deep
3 inches apart |
12 – 28 days
|
8 –10 feet
|
From Our Gardening Resources
-----TOP CONTENT ABOVE HERE-----
LEFT COLUMN CONTENT BELOW HERE
Articles
Sowing Seeds Directly into the Garden
Starting Early Indoors And Transplanting
Growing Sweet Peas in the Midwest
LEFT COLUMN CONTENT ABOVE HERE
RIGHT COLUMN CONTENT BELOW HERE
Videos
Growing Fabulous Fragrant Sweet Peas
Growing Great Scented Sweet Peas II
How to Start and Grow Sweet Peas
RIGHT COLUMN CONTENT ABOVE HERE
Cold Winters |
Mild Winters |
Sun/Shade |
Sow Seeds |
Days To Germinate |
Mature Height |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
March – May
|
Sept – April
|
Sun/part shade
|
1 inch deep
3 inches apart |
12 – 28 days
|
8 –10 feet
|
Cold Winters
March – May
|
Mild Winters
Sept – April
|
Sun/Shade
Sun/part shade
|
Sow Seeds
1 inch deep
3 inches apart |
Days To Germinate
12 – 28 days
|
Mature Height
8 –10 feet
|
From Our Gardening Resources
-----TOP CONTENT ABOVE HERE-----
LEFT COLUMN CONTENT BELOW HERE
Articles
Sowing Seeds Directly into the Garden
Starting Early Indoors And Transplanting
Growing Sweet Peas in the Midwest
LEFT COLUMN CONTENT ABOVE HERE
RIGHT COLUMN CONTENT BELOW HERE
Videos
Growing Fabulous Fragrant Sweet Peas
Growing Great Scented Sweet Peas II
How to Start and Grow Sweet Peas
RIGHT COLUMN CONTENT ABOVE HERE
From Our Gardening Resources
-----TOP CONTENT ABOVE HERE-----
LEFT COLUMN CONTENT BELOW HERE
Articles
Sowing Seeds Directly into the Garden
Starting Early Indoors And Transplanting
Growing Sweet Peas in the Midwest
LEFT COLUMN CONTENT ABOVE HERE
RIGHT COLUMN CONTENT BELOW HERE
Videos
Growing Fabulous Fragrant Sweet Peas
Growing Great Scented Sweet Peas II
How to Start and Grow Sweet Peas
RIGHT COLUMN CONTENT ABOVE HERE