Sweet Peas P H N
Leguminosae:  Lathyrus odoratus
Sweet Peas
Sweet Peas, 2003
2023
May 8: I bought a packet of Burpee's Galaxy mixed colour seeds and put the seeds into water.
9: I planted the seeds.
23: Many sprouts.
June 28: Growing fine. 15 to 20 cm long, lying on the ground. They aren't long enough yet to reach their support wires.
 

Previous Species

Home

Next Species

Other Years

2022
April 1: I put seeds from 2020 into water in a plastic bag.
2: I drained the water but left them in the bag.
3: I put 20 seeds in soil in cells and about 20 more seeds in soil in flats. Some of the seeds had sprouted. Some of the rootlets broke off in handling.
May 25: There were no sprouts so Ben planted a pack of seeds in their bed. I watered them well.
June 18: Good germination. Many plants.
August 17: First flower--very late.
 
2021
May 10: I put 28 seeds from last year and some from the package into water and put them all in the refrigerator.
15: I took them from the refrigerator and planted them in a trench.
June 30: 2 sprouts.
 
2020
April 11: I wrapped half a packet of Burpee's Galaxy seeds, 28 seeds, in a wet paper napkin and put them at the base of a basement wall, to keep them a little cool.
12: I planted them in 28 small plastic cups and returned them to the basement floor.
20: 12 sprouts.
22: I put the cups with their 16 sprouts outside on the north side of the house. This is the beginning of hardening them off since I want to get them into their bed early.
May 16: Planted in the new bed along the fence.
July 3: First flower opening.
August 29: Final deadheading. Good flower production all summer. Stems were short during the dry spell.
 
2014
July 31: One volunteer.
 
2012
March 27: I started 6 seeds from a new package of deep blue seeds from Thompson and Morgan.
 
2011
April 2: I bought a packet of Spencer Mixed and put 20 seeds in water to soak.
3: I planted them in peat pots.
13: Four sprouts today.
16: Five more pots have sprouts.
22: Pinched those plants that had 2 sets of true leaves.
25 & 27: Hardening off.
May 8: I set them out.
July 3: First flowers.
October 25: One pole of the sweet pea trellis snapped off as I removed the vines. There were still a few flowers right up to hard frost.
 
2010
March 24: I started seeds in small styrofoam cups.
April 13: Some sprouted, evidently a few days ago as the stems are very long and they have been in very dim light.
14: I started setting the seedlings outside during the day, for the cool temperatures.
May 11: I planted my seedlings.
June 17: Plants are still small.
July 2: Still small. I don’t know why.
August 6: Mostly gone, except for a few small ones, and I still don’t know why.
 
2009
March 31: I put 20 seeds from 2008 and 20 from 2007 into water to soak.
April 1: I planted 18 cells, with 2 seeds per cell. As usual, I put them on the basement floor to sprout.
9: 3 sprouts. Unfortunately I forgot to cover the cells, and some of them have apparently dried out.
16: There were sprouts in 13 cells. I did some transplanting a few days ago and now there is at least one sprout in every cell. They are growing well.
May 22: I set out my plants.
July 4: Coming along fine.
6: First flower.
August 3: Many burgundy flowers.
September 16: After almost disappearing, there was another flush of flowers in August and it is still there!
 
2008
March 24: I put 24 seeds in water, 12 from 2005 and 12 from 2007.
25: I transferred them to a tub of vermiculite on the floor of the basement closet.
April 3: 2 sprouts.
4: I moved the (now) 3 sprouts into cells.
May 2: I set 12 plants out.
3: Frost last night. They look frozen this morning.
4: I put more seeds in water to soak.
5: I planted those seeds. Although most of the plants are clearly dead, the bases of some of them look ok, and I am hoping for some regrowth.
10: I thought they were dead but today I see that some are sending out new leaves from their bases! My seeds have not sprouted yet, but there are a few volunteers near their row!
15: There are a few sprouts today from the seeds.
June 16: Not very large yet.
26: First flower.
December 31: A good display. All flowers were burgundy.
 
2007
April 30: I soaked seeds overnight and planted them today.
May 18: First shoot this afternoon.
 
2006
March 27: I put 72 seeds in water to which I had added a bit of No-Damp. Half the seeds were from 2003 and half from last year.
28: I put half the seeds in a tub of vermiculite and half in a tub of perlite and I put the tubs in the basement clothes cupboard.
April 14: Many sprouts.
15: I transferred 12 to large cells.
16: And 4 more. 25 sprouts remain so that's 57% germination.
May 15: I set out 14 plants. I have 2 more plus some still in vermiculite.
June 12: A few flowers, all burgundy.
August 1: Doing well.
 
2005
March 31:  I put 72 seeds in water, 14 from 2004 and 58 from 2003.
April 1:  I planted them and put them in the basement clothes storage closet.
19:  I remembered them, and found long white horizontal shoots with tiny leaves at their tips. I put them under lights and it was remarkable how quickly they began to turn vertical!
May 6:  I took them outside.
11:  I planted them.
July 7:  They have not done well up to now. Again I thought they would like our wet cloudy spring, but apparently not. They are beginning to climb now.
July 9:  First flower.
19:  There have been a few flowers, mostly pink.
October 4:  Still a few flowers, in varous colours, as well as some mature seed pods.
 
2004
March 24:  I put 72 seeds in water, 54 from 2003 and 18 from 2002.
25:  I put them in vermiculite at the base of the basement wall.
April 5:  1 sprout.
9:  I transplanted 16 seedlings into 4-paks.
May 18:  I set out my seedlings.   They were starting to look poor, with little vigour, and they had only a few thick roots at the bottoms of their cells.   I don't think they like the warm inside temperatures or their cells, and a later start might be a good idea, if I can find a cool place to start them then.
June 23:  Doing poorly and I don't know why.   I thought they would have done well this cool wet spring.
July 16:  First flowers.
August 24:  Still flowers, all burgundy.
 
2003
March 22:  I started 72 seeds, half from 2001 and half from 2001.   I scarified half the seeds by scratching them with a file opposite the eye until the interior white was just visible.   I put them all in water against the basement wall, on the floor.
April 2:  3 sprouts.   I left them in place.
3:  5 sprouts in one 9-pak.   I moved them under the lights and replaced them with 30 2002 seeds in vermiculite.
9:  2 sprouts in the other pack, none in the vermiculite.
16:  9 sprouts in the vermiculite.   I transferred them to cells.   I have been pinching off the tips above the 3rd set of leaves.
18:  No more sprouts in the vermiculite.
May 4:  I set out 3 plants.
7:  I set out 9 more plants.
8:  And 3 more to fill the row.
June 18:  First flower.   They are doing well.
July 29:  Still doing well, with many flowers, almost all burgundy.
August 26:  I collected seeds, and will ask Ben to clear the plants away.
October 19:  A volunteer, hopelessly early.   Ben dug the bed about 2 weeks ago and incorporated compost.
 
2002
March 23: I soaked 36 seeds, 18 from 1999 and 18 from 2001.
24: I planted them in 18 cells and put them on the basement floor under a window.   Two of them were already sprouting, after 22 hours in water!
April 3: 1 sprout.
6: 2 sprouts in the same 9-pak, so I moved it to a cool window ledge.
31: I dug their bed, incorporating some compost, and set 36 seeds to soak.
May 1: I planted the seeds, and pinched the tops off of the 7 existing seedlings.
12: I set the seedlings out.
28: I used twist ties to start the older seedlings up the trellis.   Some of the seeds have sprouted.
July 23:  Many flowers.   I removed some seed pods.
September 8: They are still flowering, and some seed pods are ripening.
 
2001
May 3: I sowed a row of seeds under the trellis, and watered them. The ground is dry.
May 18: I saw 14 sprouts today.
June 18: Doing fine.
July 19: First flower today.
October 2: I collected seeds today. Many green pods remain.
 
1999
March 24: I put 36 seeds in water to soak.
25: I planted the 36 seeds in 13 cells, and put them at the base of a basement wall.
April 3: Three sprouts.
4: Still 3 sprouts.
7: 10 sprouts, in 8 cells.
17: 11 sprouts now. I cut their tips off above the third or second leaves, as one seed package suggests. If they are forced to branch, that should produce shorter stems which are easier to handle in the house.
19: I separated each plant into its own cell.
May 4: I planted 14 plants out.
24: Doing ok. They don't seem to have grown since they were put out though.
June 30: Flourishing.
July 1: First flower.
August 1: Flourishing nicely. The flowers are on shorted stems now. I think I will let them go to seed now. 14 plants seems to have been enough to fill the trellis, and gave me more blossoms than I could use.
14: The plants on the south half of the trellis seem to be dying or have died. The plants on the north half are still flowering. There are thick clusters of green aphids in a few spots. I saw 2 juvenile ladybugs yesterday among them.
~September 22: I collected the last seeds, and cleared away the plants.
 
1998
March 24: Soaked 36 seeds,
26: I planted 18 peat cells. I put them against the basement wall.
April 10: Moved to 1/cell, and more seeds soaked to start.
18: Sprouts from new seeds.
26: Still only 3 new sprouts.
May 31: New trellis frame constructed. Plants doing fine in garden.
 
1997
March 31: 36 seeds soaking, 24 from my garden, and 12 spicy, purchased ones.
April 20: 16 peat pots with 1 or 2 seedlings each, and 8 in starter mix. They took about 2 and a half weeks to start sprouting.
~May 12: They were caught outside by frost at -6°C. Almost all froze. I still have 5 in starter mix.
22: Out.
June 23: 1 plant in flower.
December 18: Eventually, a good show until quite late.
 
1996
April 6: Started 18 seeds from last year in peat pots, at the back of the basement closet.
20: 2 sprouts. Moved to basement low shelf.
May 3: 1 more sprout. Moved upstairs.
7: 36 seeds planted in the garden, in houseplant soil.
May 26: 18 new seedlings added to the 3 older ones in the garden.
June 20: Progress made on dream catcher trellis.
July 9: First 2 flowers.
September 5: Bounteous delight.
 
1995
May 11: Fragrantissima mix arrived from Thompson and Morgan and are soaking.
23: No sprouts.
June 1: No sprouts.
  2: Sprouts!
15: Only 6 plants.
July 22: First flower.
 
1994
May 10: Soaked sweet pea seeds. Mine were much smaller than the purchased ones, but they swelled up more.
11: Wet seeds put into fridge overnight.
12: All planted.
25: First sprout.
June 21: 10 sprouts.
August 3: Beginning to flower. Only white.
13: Another colour appeared.
 
1993
August 5: Doing well.
August 18: Many flowers, mostly pink.
September 4: There are many blossoms.