Name That Plant

I usually put nursery tags in my Sunset Western Garden book (read: bible) to keep track of names, dates, and miscellaneous junk about plants in the garden.  I have failed. I don't even remember where I purchased the plants.  (I have a good guess though.) This plant was plugged into some hanging baskets this summer and they are still thriving. Nothing was singed by the recent freeze.

I snip off the spent buds occasionally, and feed them irregularly.  What are these flowers?  An easy care plant is something that needs to be trumpeted to all brown thumb gardeners all the way up to professors of horticulture. 

Sweet Peas 2014

Sweet Peas

The sweet peas were planted late this evening using seeds collected from past vines.  More like night since me and old Ajax were out in the dark making sure the seeds were planted on December 1. I'm never sure what the blooms will be like or if there will even be any blooms.  Those danged doves may eat all the seeds.  There may also be a sweet pea bonanza in the spring.  It's a crap shoot. 

Some think the seeds need to be planted in late summer or early fall.  I've been planting them in December for sometime now with fairly good results.   No matter if the seeds are purchased or collected, it's helpful to soak them before planting. Full sun and well drained soil helps.  The vines will need something for the tendrils to climb.  However, they would probably grow like weeds almost anywhere.

Continual harvesting of the blossoms will help develop more flowers.  Once the weather gets hot, sweet pea season is over.  Let the blossoms go to seed and collect them for the next year.

Who doesn't enjoy a nice bouquet of sweet peas?