Sweet Peas
Best varieties: Spencer (large, fragrant), Old Spice Mix, Cupani (intensely scented), Royal Family (heat-tolerant)
Easy
Annual
❄️ Frost Hardy
🐾 Pet Safe
🌲 PNW Growing Notes
Classic PNW cottage garden flower. Seattle’s cool springs are ideal—sweet peas fade in summer heat. Sow early for longest bloom season. Intoxicating fragrance.
☀️ Light
Full sun (6+ hrs)
💧 Water
Regular, consistent moisture
🪨 Soil
Rich, well-drained, pH 7.0–7.5
📏 Spacing
6" apart
📅 Planting Timeline (Seattle)
🏠
Start Indoors
Feb (soak seeds overnight)
🌱
Direct Sow
Feb–Mar (as soon as soil is workable)
🪴
Transplant Outdoors
Mar–Apr
🌸
Bloom Season
May–Jul
💡 Pro Tip
Pick flowers daily to encourage more blooms. Provide a trellis or fence to climb. Soak seeds overnight before planting for faster germination.
🤝 Companion Planting
✅ Good Companions
Roses, Clematis