This sign outside a Dublin flower shop reminded me it’s time to plant my favorite flower, Sweet pea!  Sweet peas are the official flower for April and very easy to grow.  Just remember to plant seeds in September or October in South Texas and ignore the package directions to plant in spring. My dad started me planting Sweet peas when I was a little girl.  He put nails in the fence slats so I could wrap twine over each nail in a zigzag fashion to support the fast-growing vines.  The result was a solid fence line of colorful, fragrant flowers to snip and arrange in little bouquets indoors. I was thrilled to find Sweet peas in almost every garden I visited in Ireland.  They usually adorned the veggie/herb garden, twining on a variety of supports such as bamboo pole teepees and iron arbors. If you want to try growing these beauties buy seeds now and find a sunny spot in the garden where you can provide support for the vines.   Work good compost into the soil.  I use Nature’s Blend.  Then, fill a shallow pan with enough water to cover the seeds and soak them overnight.  Next day, remove the seeds from water and roll them in inoculant powder. Plant at depth and spacing per package instructions and water regularly. 

-Kathy