Does anyone hit the 'like' button before you watch the video because you know, without a doubt, you are going to learn something new from Danielle? I do almost every video! 💚💚💚

Instead of root trainers I use recycled bottles to start sweet peas. I cut off the tops of 500 ml water bottles and cut 3 to 4 holes at the bottom. I sow the seeds in potting mix in these bottles and place them in a blue container in which mushrooms are sold in Costco. 5 bottles placed in the blue container prevents toppling. I cut out the bottles along their lengths when it is time to plant. This method has worked for me for the past 2 years.

Wow!! One of the best videos on gardening I have seen in a long time. You are an excellent teacher! I have never successfully grown sweet peas and thought they were just too finicky. This video has inspired me to try!! Lack of confidence and certainly lack of information has kept me from growing these adorable flowers. I LOVE your videos and ask that you make more educational content😃. Even the art of floral arrangements. Thank you so much!!!! Love your channel! ❤️

This video is most particularly appreciated because I too have struggled with sweet peas. I will take your advice and also find the book meanwhile... I am truly happy to see you have your priorities straight... stopping to play ball with Grace was definitely the right thing to do!!! You're a wonderful teacher and a great doggie Mom too!

I live in south of Sweden and I have sweet peas that self seeded last summer and survived the winter out in my garden beds! They are short and stocky and probably excellent root systems. ❤ I use the inner roll of toilet paper, side by side in a plastic container with lots of draining holes. I fill them with potting soil except 3/4 inch on top where I have seed starting soil, water them in and the moment they germinate, out they go, just as you said.

I save my tall coffee cups with a hole at the bottom for drainage and the young seedlings look strong and beautiful.

It was so adorable that Gracie mirrored you enthusiasm ❤ She didn’t know what all the fuss was about but she knows if you are that enthusiastic, it must be good😊. Gracie isn’t the only one who reflected your spirit - we all did🌱

This is totally the way to go! I'm in Zone 7a, and mine work really well with this method. I don't have root trainers, but I popped them in my cold frame immediately after they sprouted. Then I planted them in two large containers a few weeks before frost and right now they are bulking up, branching, and looking strong. Very excited to follow along and see how yours bloom!!

I've never grown sweet pea before, thanks for the information. I'm planting them outside today. Wish me luck

I pre sprout my sweet peas in wet paper towels and then plant outside in the garden.

I recently retired and am inspired to plant Sweet Peas again but haven't done so for 20 years. Like you, I remember getting so-so results and then spectacular results in successive years (this was in coastal Southern Calif, btw). I always direct sowed them - now I know I can do it early, well before the last date of frost, so thanks! I read an article that said they're heavy feeder and advise these tactics which produced amazing results. I began amending heavily. As I recall the bottom was a layer of 2 or 3 inches of steer manure, then 2 inches of 50/50 compost plus soil as a buffer from the manure, then the seeds plus a slow-release fertilizer like Osmocote, then a top dressing of compost and soil. All of this in the bottom of a furrow. I planted at the nadir of a long furrow, basically a little valley, with the sides maybe 6 inches high, and after they sprouted and began growing I would make the sides of the furrow erode and slide downward a little bit each time I watered them. As the soil slid down it buried the roots deeper and deeper. I don't know if that helped or not but I remember a few years when the plants were stunning with abundant flowers. Those are my only tricks, but they sure worked for me. I remember my neighbor noticed them one day growing over the top of the fence. He stood on a box and looked over the fence and couldn't believe his eyes. He started scoffing at his own Sweet Peas, 20 yards away, which were anemic and maybe 2 feet high. Mine were thick, hairy-chested brutes that grew well over a 5 foot fence with flowers galore. Poor guy, I think he felt like they were mocking his. A satisfying moment for a beginning gardener. Thanks for all the good info, Danielle. Your videos are a balm in a stressful world.

This is my first year to grow sweet peas and I've been really into finding out as much as possible. I'm determined to grow these and fill my garden and home with their lovely scented petals. This is the best advice and video yet which is exactly why you're my favorite, Danielle! Definitely going to get the book.

This is so timely, I was just looking at my very sad and lankly sweet peas not sure what I was doing wrong. This is my third year trying them and always end up with weak and feeble plants that hardly produce flowers. Thank for you for this guide.

You got a deal Danielle, the book is over $30 now on Amazon and even the used prices are more than you paid. This is good info. Did you cover the sweet peas when they were outside, and were they exposed to the weather or protected?

Do you put them in direct sun when you put them out.

You are such a caring, peaceful, intelligent, and Graceful, and inspiring teacher! You have inspired me to try this technique. Always happy when you post a new one!

Im not far from you also in 6b. This is my first year putting them outside following your advice. Im excited to see how they turn out 😁

Thank you for this great information! I just tried this method this year and it seems to be working great. Like you, I have had many less than perfect years. Instead of root trainers, I used toilet paper rolls lined up in one of those big plastic salad green containers from the grocery store (put holes in the bottom of salad container). Then I put another salad container upside down on top, also with holes to let the rain in. This makes a little green house. I didn't use grow lights, I just put them outside in January. I put them in the ground in the tp roll so as not to disturb roots as soon as they were about an inch or so and they look great. The tp roll decomposes quickly. I am in Northern Virginia zone 7b.

i have great results here in the uk by doing two sowings: one in late september and one in the middle of winter. if the overwintered sweet peas dont make it, i replace them with the winter-sown. its zone 8b in london so most winters, at least 50% of the overwintered make it and it's more likely with a fluffy leaf mulch that has lots of air for insulation. i also find that aggressive cutting is preferred after they bloom so do not stop at the first node. go down and cut deeper for a long stem and you will be rewarded by the plant's efforts to regrow. it is a vine after all. the advice about putting the seedlings in the cold is essential. they love to get their roots down when the temperatures are low. also best to pinch out the tips after two sets of leaves. it stimulates further root development.

Hi Danielle I'm from the UK and sweet peas are my favorite flower. You are in great hands with Roger Parsons. Sarah Raven also has some KZfaq videos on planting and caring for sweet peas.

Hi Danielle, perfect timing as I have my sweet peas starting to sprout 🌱, so I will try your method ! 🌱❤️🇨🇦

I've tried sweet peas the past 2 years and had such horrible aphid issues, I never could get them under control and always lost the plants. I started them as you mentioned and I wonder if they were so weak that they were the perfect host for aphids. But after watching this I feel like attempting just one more season!!

I normally direct sow my sweet peas. I used to live and garden in zone 4 and they did great that way. But now that I have moved to zone 6B (Missouri) and started them same way, they are a couple inches tall now out in the garden. Hopefully they will do great also! Thank you so much Danielle for sharing your experiences with the sweet peas. Your videos are always very informative 😀

My ears are open!!! Thank you❤

Thank you Danielle. I think this might just be the game changer I have needed to grow Sweet Peas.

I have had such a similar experience!!! So glad you’ve cracked the code!!

Great info, thanks for sharing. Just curious if the book mentioned pruning some tendrils.? Did you happen to see the little girl on Gardeners World, she was in a home gardener video series, she said she gets more flowers when she takes some tendrils off.

Thanks Danielle. I pre sprouted my sweet peas in the house. When I saw their little roots start poking out I immediately planted them outside I didn’t know if that was right or wrong but thought that I would give it a try. Now after seeing your video I think that may have been the right thing to do, we will see. BUT I now know how to get them going next year. Thank you again. 🌷💚🙃

I've never tried sweet peas but I am so glad I saw this video first. Great information! 🍃💜🍃

Thank you so much. I am trying some sweet peas this year and I will definitely make note to try this next year! Grace is excited to have your attention.

Thanks, Ma'am. This is my first year planting peas I appreciate the tips.

I planted over 700 sweet peas this year. I did a lot of research and did exactly this. I planted them and let them germinate in my laundry room, where it's cooler. Once they germinated, I put them outside. About two weeks later, I got 13 more varieties and did the paper towel method. Once they germinated a few days more in the soil, I put them outside. These did good, but they are leggy Linda's.😂 They aren't as stocking as the first ones. Lessen learned, and I will stick to the first method. They other ones are just fine, but you can tell the difference. Then, after all that, I found out from several people that here in Western Washington 8b, you can direct sow them on President's Day. I may try this method next year. I was told I have a lot of work on my hands, but I want a fairy land in my garden this year.😊 Thank you for sharing.

I just listen to a podcast today with Roger parsons in it and so glad I did. Came on here and watched his videos and found yours! This will be my first year of growing and I'm sowing for spring lol so wish me luck

Thank you for this advice! I’m a home gardener who has had bad luck with sweet peas, and this info will help me a lot. 💚💜

This is great information. Thank you for sharing your resource as well as your experience. I had given up on sweet peas but will give it another try.

I live in Australia in a warm temperate climate with a mild winter and am lucky enough to throw sweet pea seeds into the garden in late march coming into autumn and they come up in spring. Such a great informative video, love your content.

Oh my gosh! My sweet peas are a perfect example of your “before” 🤪. I ordered the book and will look forward to next year - it will be a whole new world. THANK YOU! My sweet peas are a lovely lanky example of growing under lights. They are currently outside hardening off and have that top growth just as you described. I am so excited to finally get the sweet peas I have always wanted.

Thanks! This will be my first year growing sweetpeas, you probably just saved me from a whole lot of frustration!

Thanks for this info. It makes sense now that you mention it. I germinated my sugar snap peas I doors then immediately planted them in the garden way back on Feb 15th. Now they’re thriving! I guess sweet peas could be treated this way too? Will definitely try it next year.

Wow so much great information thank you so much

So helpful!! Thank you!

I'm writing this in my garden journal for next year! I'm in zone 8a southeast Virginia and like you, started them under grow lights. They get super long but are never really that impressive. I'm determined to have a bloom this year, but I think I missed the mark! I'll try again next year with this method. You're such a great teacher Danielle. Thanks for sharing your successes and your failures in the garden!

Hi. I really LOVE your channel and all the valuable information you freely share; you are super generous and very gifted! I don't have a flower farm, but I enjoy growing some gorgeous cut flowers for my own small garden space. Your videos have really taken my gardening to another level, thank you! Your information is so much better, more accurate, and helpful than many other flower and gardening videos I've watched! Thank you from my heart. After listening to you, I did buy the Cool Flowers book and absolutely LOVE it, thank you. I tried to order Roger's book on Sweet Peas, but it is out of print! I wrote to him about it and someone answered me, telling me they hopefully will be able to reprint it soon 🙏 I live in the north of Italy and have the EXACT problems you had with trying to grow sweet peas! I thought it was just me and my lack of experience; thank you for sharing your experience and advice. I will try it the way you said you did to have success. 🙏💗 Do you give your sweet peas any kind of nutrients, compost, and how often? Do you ever have any regrow the following season on their own or you need to start them from seed each season? My small, local church here has many Christian missionaries sent here from their home Pennsylvanian church (not sure where, but I'll ask them). You should come to Italy for a visit sometime; you'll have a friend here! Thank you again! God bless. 💜Paj Tognetti

Thank you so much! I've been struggling and making the same mistakes. I'm definitely going to give this a try next year!

Thank you! I am just "restarting" some sweet pea seeds as my first batch represent exactly what you described, yellowing and very weak! I will put the new batch I sowed last night outside as soon as I see the shoots!. I may be late with them but hopefully I will get flowers this year. Awesome!

I am even now hoping to grow sweat peas, and as a resident of southern Pennsylvania, your instruction could not be more beneficial to me. Thanks so much!

Hey! Your garden looks very beautiful! I like it! Thanks for the gardening advice!

Thank you! Sweet peas are a favorite and I'm learning how to adapt planting in my area, 8b, each year. After 4 years of fussing around, I can plant them in the Autumn and even if we get down to 20degrees, they hold up and are MUCH better than planting in springtime. Learning all the time!

Thank you for this advice. I am growing sweet peas for the first time this year and I cold sowed them outside in a plastic container then planted them in the garden. 🤞🏼

Great video Danielle! I have a feeling the same applies to cosmos. Ever since I started placing them outside right after germ - much better plants!

thank you for this video! and your dog is seriously too cute!

Since you winters are so wet, spring sowing may be best for you, but I want to recommend fall sowing, for those whose soil drains well. We are in the pacific northwest, zone 8. At the end of Sept or beginning of Oct, I germinate my sweet pea seeds between damp paper towels in the house. As soon as they sprout a root, usually 3-5 days, I plant them into potting soil and place them in an unheated greenhouse (elevated so mice cannot get to them). A cold frame would work too. Towards the end of October or early November (which is a couple weeks before our first frost) I plant them in our garden. I have tried spring sowing, but my fall grown sweep peas are superior in every way. As I recall, Roger recommends sowing the sweet peas in the fall, if possible.

Thanks so much! I'll try them while we still have our cold-ish weather here in Zone 9!

This is my first year planting sweet peas and my process was exactly like yours, except mine are planted in 4" pots. I need to order some root trainers for next year. I'm located in North Idaho, zone 6 and I will be planting mine around May 10th. I am so excited to smell their amazing fragrance. I enjoy your channel and gardening tips so much. 😊

Thank you for sharing this. I am in a similar climate, 6b in Missouri, and have had similar issues. I will try this next year 😊💚

Always great information. Thank you.

Thanks I'll have to try this next year. I started them way too late this year and they didn't even germinate. Last year I did the winter sowing method and had some success.

Thank you so much. I like you have been growing sweet peas for many years but have never been satisfied with the out come. I am passionate about sweet peas. Your video is absolutely a game changer I am in 6b as well in Michigan

Oh my, eight years is a long time. This is my FIRST year and I’m nervous. I bought six plants and it turned cold again with rain and overcast. I’ve forgotten what sunshine is😂 I really need my greenhouse up so I can plant seeds. I have many different color sweet peas or varieties. But the ones I bought and that are sitting in a box are growing great. I’m putting them in a container today. I’m now going to watch the remaining video. I need to learn as much as possible before I plant 🌱 my seed. Thanks for this video. I’m glad it popped up.

Grace is such a sweet dog. Love her. And I have struggled with sweet peas as well. Just assumed it was our weather here in NJ. I think I had one season where they did well. But this was very helpful. Thanks so much, you always have the best info.

Thank you for all the great info.😊

THIS WAS WONDERFUL!

Great video!! Thank you so much!!

Ooh I need to put mine outside in the garage then! Great advice 🤩❤️🙏

Thank you so much for this information!! I am in Upstate NY and I started sweet peas inside for the first time about four weeks ago. We have had unseasonably warm weather the last week and I think I will pop my tray outside. My seedlings are doing exactly what you described. They are taller than the grow lights that I have kept low in hopes the seedlings would branch out. I keep telling them that they aren’t following the rules 😅 I’m going to try moving them outside and see what happens. Even if I don’t have great success this year I can always try again next year! Thanks for sharing!!

I just killed a whole tray of sweat peas under lights inside 😂 (turning yellow, and wilting). I feel so much better now! I will definitely try again with this method next spring! Thanks so much for sharing, I LOVE your channel.

How fascinating!! I grow mine in tall styrofoam cups 6 weeks before our last frost date (mid-May in my corner of Michigan). That works well for me. But I try to plant them out in the beginning of May. I've seen people say to put them out in April but it never worked for me. Too cold; they never flourished. The fill up my arbor with blooms the way I've been planting. But this sounds very interesting. I'll have to get that book! I learn so much from the UK too.

Thankyou very much! I have been struggling with these little gems too. I think I may be able to sort of make a 6 pack "root trainer" from an empty milk jug next year. 6 cut holes in the bottom surface of jug, strategically placed plastic "dividers". Or probably, most likely, splurging on those cool trainers. Thankyou again!

Thank you. This is great! I also just saw a video where the person used tp cardboard rolls put into a planting pot (so they’ll have a bottom) and planted their sp seeds in the tubes. 😊

I live in the UK, the first year I put them out early and they were hit by a lot of cold, I loved them so much I was more protective over them the next year and my crop was poor. I kept them in until late spring and they hardly bloomed, short stem length, etc. This year I have put them out early and they have hardly grown yet, but, as you have said, they are hopefully putting in a lot of energy into their roots. I left them uncovered in -4C, they have been fine, but I did protect the ground with leaf mulch so it never froze. I hope this means more flowers, like my first year.

Thank you so much for this info. You are so helpful. I bought seeds but didn’t know eggs yo do and missed my window. I’m in Texas zone 8a. So I’ll put it on my calendar for next. Oh I hope I can grow sweet peas. I would be over the moon lol. I just love the scent and would love them every year. Thank you so so much for all of your helpful videos. I really appreciate the time and knowledge you give 🌸

Danielle ~ This is my first year growing sweet peas! I soaked the seeds for 24 hours and they germinated in two days! I already planted mine outside and direct sowed some soaked seeds as a well but haven't seen if they've come up yet! This video was so instructive. At least I'll know for next year what to try. Last week we had that 88 degree day which either hurt them or helped them! ~ stephanie NJ zone 7a

Thank you Danielle for the wealth of knowledge and sharing. I used both methods this season and had the same results you have described. The ones that I grew outside look phenomenal and the ones from the inside look pretty sad.🙂

New sub. Thanx for the info. I am new to gardening. I live in the mountains of Colorado, off grid w solar, and am growing veggies in my cargo trailer/green house with heat and lights. I just started growing sweet peas this week. After 4 days, my peas sprouted. Im glad to hear I should put them in the cold temps right away cause Im gonna run out of room in my heated grow space soon.

I have the same problem with them being tall and leggy even with close lights, will def. try this, thank you!

Thank you for hard beautiful work,Good jobs 👍👍👍

Excellent video. I grew mine exactly like this in Northern Ohio. Sprouted indoors, then on my unheated glassed in porch for several weeks, then outdoors for several weeks. I transplanted mine to the garden a week ago. They are extremely stocky and sturdy. Mine were outdoors as low as 31 degrees. If it got below 26 degrees, i leaned a big piece of cardboard over them for the night.

Good to know because my are tall, lanky and sad looking like you described. I’ll try your tips!

I am fortunate to have some of my Sweet Peas reseed themselves and come up the following year here in SoCal. But every year in Fall I start some new varieties and I love those root trainers because they are so easy to get the plant out. I plant them in the ground in late Fall and they kind of sit there still looking healthy but when March hit they just took off. I have a wall of Sweet Peas right now. They are climbing up some trellises and just rambling over the other plants. I cut many of them and bring them to loved ones💞🌸 This year I grew Pink elegance and Lavendar elegance from Johnnys. I have others called Balmoral, Spencer’s Ripple, Royal Scarlet, Happy Birthday and Mrs. Bolton. I think I have the most fun growing Sweet Peas😁

Thank you so much for sharing this information. I’ve always wanted to grow sweet peas but my results have always been pitiful. Next year I will try this new method. This year I have planted them outdoors already. Have a wonderful day.

The best video I've seen yet on sweet peas - I'm also in 6b, Southwestern PA. I'll have to try this next year. I lost all my seedlings this this year but 3 :( Thank you.

Hey Danielle. I Fall planted my peas directly outside into pots and they didn't make it after the artic blast. I immediately planted more seeds into the same pot in January. I'm in zone 7a and said let's see what happens. They slowly sprouted one by one and have been growing thru all the ups and downs in temperatures and are now sending out blooms. I cried just a little 😢 with absolute joy.

I watched your video five times 😅Forgive me if I missed it but where do you put your sweet peas while they’re in their starter pots outside? Are they under cover or in a cold frame?

Sweet peas are one of my favourites. Here in Australia we plant them around March 17 St Patrick’s Day. That’s about two weeks into our autumn/fall. It was interesting to hear how you now grow them. As Australia was settled by the English it looks as though we just used their method but backwards to suit our climate. I’m actually in the sub tropics so wait a little longer for our temperatures to drop before I plant. Also I like to pinch them out to help the roots get strong. I must say they are beautiful plants but a bit fussy cheers 🇦🇺. Bronwyn

Danielle, I watched this video 10 moths ago, but apparently did not retain the information. I started Sweet Peas a few weeks ago, no heat, no lights. However, once they germinated, I put them under grow lights and man are they long and leggy. So, I got on your channel and searched for this video again. I will be starting more Sweet Peas tomorrow😂. Once again, thanks for the great info!

Thank you!

Thank you so much, Danielle! I’m growing sweet peas for the first time in Zone 5b under lights inside. Testing out just a couple and they’re a couple of lanky inches tall. I’m going to switch to your advice here. Such timely advice!

First year trying sweet peas here. I’ll have to look for deep containers.

I live in PA near you and I was lucky enough to get the timing just right for direct sowing sweet peas outside this year. I did lose some morning glory seeds I tried to sow outside too early though.

Great video!

Great video! You know, when I saw the thumbnail with the root trainer, I almost didn’t bother watching because I thought, yeah, many years of watching Gardener’s World, I know about root trainers and pinching and just didn’t think there would be anything new here for me. I was wrong. My experience with sweet peas has been similar to yours. Didn’t grow up with them, but have been trying with lackluster results off and on for a couple of decades. Tried fall planting and here in the pacific NW they just rotted, etc. What I didn’t know and am excited to learn from you and try next year, is to put them outside immediately after germination. I too had grown under lights and I had also tried direct seeding in the spring but neither were great. I got some, but not enough. I am just sad that I am about 8 weeks too late for this year , but can’t wait to try this method next year. Thank you!

I’m so grateful for this video! Thank you for sharing your method! It’s crazy to me how much varying information there is out there for sweet peas! My question is why not just direct sow them to begin with? Is it just to get them to sprout quicker? Thanks, as always, for your information, friendly, inspiring videos!

Thanks!

So, so helpful, thank you! May be too late this year, but I’ll keep them outside from here on out! Would love to hear what you do next - I’ve heard lots of compost and water-?

so good to know!! I love sweet peas, but so hard in our climate here!😢

Danielle - are the sprouted Sweet Peas under cover of your porch or do you place them out in the elements? You always give such great information!

There is so much gardening advice on youtube but we are ALL different in our climates and micro climates and it seems that seeds have their own specific temperature & humidity needs. I find it very difficult as a new gardener to learn from even experienced online gardeners. Thank-you for your very detailed info and also where to get more.

Wow! There's a key to success with this mysterious fragrant old-timer! I wonder if there are other plants which require similar handling? I've usually bought starts at the local nurseries, (because of my own lack of success with seeds,) but I'm not sure if they're aware of this trick, because the starts I get are leggy & languish much as you say, Danielle. They're a wonderfully romantic & fragrant addition to any bouquet. Thanks for sharing your insights!

I was planning to plant mine in toilet tissue rolls with a coffee filter inside to keep the soil in and a rubber band to hold them together. However, I never got it accomplished this year. They should do well for me because we have a wild variety of sweet peas here in SW Idaho. Thanks for the info, I might try direct seeding outside, as we are still cool, having a very late spring this year.

I germinate mine outside in deep starting trays so I can bring them in or put them in my shed if it gets much below freezing. I’m in zone 5A. It does make a huge difference!