How to Germinate Sweet Peas

Delicate sweet peas climbing fences and trellises are reminiscent of Grandma's country garden filled with the heady, sweet fragrance. Modern cultivars often lack the characteristic fragrance but produce richly colored blooms that emit more subdued scent. These hardy plants thrive in cool soil and tolerate light frost, making them one of the earliest annuals to plant in the spring. Germination can occur within a week to 10 days but may take up to three weeks.

Nail clippers or sharp knife

Instructions

- 1
  Prepare a garden bed for sweet peas in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Select an area that receives full sun to partial shade. Sweet peas prefer cool soil and do best in areas where the upper part of the plant receives full sun but the root zone is shaded from the midday sun.
- 2
  Nick the seed coat with a pair of fingernail clippers or a sharp knife. This provides a small opening that allows the seed to take in moisture and speeds germination. According to the National Garden Bureau, there is no evidence that the practice of soaking sweet pea seeds before planting speeds germination.
- 3
  Mark holes for sweet peas spaced four to six inches apart. Plant two or three seeds per hole to a depth of 2 inches. Cover with soil and firm down to secure the seed.
- 4
  Water to moisten the soil to the depth of the seeds. Keep the area moist, but not soggy, until seedlings appear in seven to 21 days.
- 5
  Thin to the healthiest plants spaced six inches apart. Cutting young seedlings at the soil level is preferable to pulling, as pulling them may disturb the roots of nearby plants.

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