A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Plants and Flowers Forum Sweet Pea Flower

I fell in love with this vine last winter and got some seed. I read up that in my zone (9) it should be planted in October. Just wondering from those of you that have grown them before how hardy they are? I could put them in my garden and they'd grow like no body's business! BUT, they'd look so pretty around my porch! around the porch though, they'd get blasted with rain since there are no rain gutters, and they'd have to fight some grass roots.
I wish I had a lot of seeds, I'd just plant them in both places. but I only have a very few.
What cha' think?

They germinate in lower temps than most flowers, I think about 20*C or less. Too high and they won't germinate. Chip the seedcoat and soak the seeds in warm water overnight or until they swell. Change the water twice a day or more. You can keep them in the water until you see a little root poking out. If you direct sow outside, soak overnight or until swollen, and plant them shallowly, and water very well. Then do not water until the ground starts to dry. Too much water and they will rot in the ground. I have a packet of the 'Giant Spencer Mix' that I forgot to sow this year. If you want, I can send them to you. They will usually bloom until a hard frost, provided to keep on clipping the flowers (don't let peas form) and they are well settled before frost comes. They are also real easy to collect seeds from.

thanks, kenny! I'm glad you told me that about chipping the seedcoat and soaking in water overnight. I read up on them and they were saying to soak in some solution that I'd never heard of. good to know plain old water will work fine. and, I hope this isn't a dumb question, but 'chip' the seedcoat? would I get a knife and kinda scratch the surface layer of just one part of the seed? I guess I'll just put them in the garden this year. It slipped my mind how they were such a great cut flower. I can always cut them and put them in a vase out on the porch. I'll still be able to enjoy them close up.

chip or break the seed coat is basically 'scarification' I would say the easier way to chip the seedcoat is to use a nail clipper and break off a bit of seed coat. The seed coat is brown and the inside is a creamy colour lighter than the seedcoat. or you could use a knife and cut off a little seedcoat (watch out for fingers lol) or use sandpaper to sand off a window in the seedcoat (I sand my fingers more than the seeds :P) plain tap water will do, nothing fancy needed to soak them. Make sure you chip the opposite 'side' to the scar. Each lathyrus seed will have a white streak (known as the scar, where the seed was connected to the pod when it was maturing). The scar is where (if I remember correctly) the root will come out, so you have to chip the seedcoat the opposite side as to not damage the root. Also make sure you don't chip too much of the embryo (inner seed, the creamy part) off. Chances are the seedcoat will chip off without damaging the embryo.

ok, I'm going to go write all that down on the seed envelope...about the scar and to chip on the opposite side.
your the best, kenny!