Old Times Sweet Pea is a frost-tolerant, open-pollinated variety that produces elegant and unusually colored blooms on long stems, ready to harvest in 75 to 85 days. This compact cultivar thrives in the cool season, germinating best between 50 and 70°F, and rewards patient gardeners with flowers perfectly suited to cutting and display. Its moderate water needs and preference for neutral soil (pH 6.5 to 7.5) make it straightforward to grow, whether you're training it up a trellis, along a fence, or letting it sprawl through a cottage garden border.
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The unusually colored blooms on long stems are the real draw here, delivering the kind of sophisticated color palette that makes arrangers reach for this variety again and again. Harvesting flowers actively increases bloom production, so the more you cut, the more the plant rewards you. Since it tolerates frost, you can plant it earlier in spring than tender annuals and often extend the season into cooler months. The compact growth habit means it doesn't sprawl uncontrollably, yet it still needs trellis support to show off those long-stemmed flowers.
Old Times Sweet Pea shines as a cut flower for arranging, where its long stems and unusual bloom colors make it a florist favorite. The variety is equally at home in cottage gardens, along arbors and fences where it can climb and showcase its flowers, and in back borders where it adds vertical interest and color. Its frost tolerance makes it a dependable choice for gardeners who want to push the growing season earlier or later than typical tender annuals.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow seeds 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep in 72-cell flats or deep-cell seedling containers 4 to 5 weeks before transplanting outdoors. Darkness is required for germination, so cover seeds with soil or keep containers in a dark location until sprouts emerge. Keep soil temperature between 50 and 70°F for best germination.
Transplant seedlings outdoors once they've developed true leaves and can tolerate the light frosts typical of spring planting. Space plants 4 inches apart and provide trellis support. Seedlings are hardy enough to handle a light frost.
Direct seed 2 to 3 seeds every 6 inches, planting 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. Thin seedlings as needed once first true leaves appear.
Harvest flowers by cutting long stems, beginning when about half the flowers on a stem are open. Cut regularly to encourage continued blooming throughout the season; the act of harvesting stimulates the plant to produce more flowers.
Pinch back plants when they reach 6 to 8 inches tall to encourage denser branching and more abundant flowering. This early pinching helps the plant develop a fuller, more productive form.
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