When to plant sweet peas in The Dalles, OR

Plant sweet peas from seed, directly in the garden in The Dalles, Mar 20 – Apr 24.

Moderate Plant seeds in the ground

Why these dates

The Dalles's typical last spring frost is April 11. As a cool-season crop that handles light frost, this crop doesn't need to wait for that date. In the Columbia Basin and low eastern valleys, though, the soil usually isn't ready to work until about March 20.

Columbia Basin and low eastern valleys. Hot, dry summers and quick spring warm-up. Warm crops go in earlier than west of the Cascades, and irrigation matters more than rain.

Difficulty: Moderate
Sun: Full sun
Spacing: 4 to 6 inches apart along a trellis
Planting depth: 1 inch deep (soak seeds overnight first)
Frost: Handles light frost
Flowers: Blooms in early summer

Step by step

Prepare the bed: loosen the soil and mix in an inch or two of compost.
Plant seeds Mar 20 – Apr 24, 1 inch deep (soak seeds overnight first), 4 to 6 inches apart along a trellis.
Keep the soil evenly moist until sprouts appear, which can take one to three weeks in cool soil.
Harvest: Cut stems every couple of days; the more you pick, the more they bloom. Plants stop flowering once pods form.

Varieties that do well here

Cupani (very fragrant)
Spencer mix
Royal Family (more heat-tolerant)

Watch out for

Aphids and powdery mildew late in the season. Sow early so plants peak before summer heat.

A classic cut flower that loves cool Northwest springs. Sow early, give them a trellis and pick often. The seeds are toxic, so these are for flowers only.

Common questions

When is the last frost in The Dalles, OR?

Typically April 11. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by April 28. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for The Dalles Municipal Airport (Dallesport, WA).

Is it too late to plant sweet peas in The Dalles?

The spring planting window runs through April 24. Later plantings tend to struggle in summer heat.

When do sweet peas bloom?

Blooms in early summer. Cut stems every couple of days; the more you pick, the more they bloom. Plants stop flowering once pods form.