When to Plant Sweet Pea in Washington

Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) are beloved cool-season climbing annuals grown primarily for their intensely fragrant, ruffled blooms in shades of pink, purple, red, and white. They thrive in cool spring conditions, climbing trellises to 4–6 feet, and make outstanding cut flowers. Bloom ceases once summer heat arrives, making early sowing critical for a long cutting season.

Washington spans USDA hardiness zones 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a (with planting data available), so planting dates vary by your location within the state. Click your zone below for the most accurate dates.

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Click your county for exact Sweet Pea planting dates based on your local frost dates.

Hover over a county to see details. Click to view planting guide.

Sweet Pea Planting Calendar for Washington

▸ Zone 6a ~193 day growing season · Full guide →

Last frost: April 10 · First frost: October 20 · 193 day season

Activity	When	Date Range
Start Indoors	February 27	Feb 27 – Mar 13
Transplant Outdoors	April 10	Apr 10 – Apr 24
Direct Sow	March 6	Mar 6 – Mar 27
Bloom	June 26	Jun 26 – Sep 4

▸ Zone 6b ~205 day growing season · Full guide →

Last frost: April 3 · First frost: October 25 · 205 day season

Activity	When	Date Range
Start Indoors	February 20	Feb 20 – Mar 6
Transplant Outdoors	April 3	Apr 3 – Apr 17
Direct Sow	February 27	Feb 27 – Mar 20
Bloom	June 19	Jun 19 – Aug 28

▸ Zone 7a ~221 day growing season · Full guide →

Last frost: March 25 · First frost: November 1 · 221 day season

Activity	When	Date Range
Direct Sow	February 18	Feb 18 – Mar 11
Bloom	April 29	Apr 29 – Jul 22
Fall Sowing	September 6	Sep 6 – Sep 20

▸ Zone 7b ~235 day growing season · Full guide →

Last frost: March 18 · First frost: November 8 · 235 day season

Activity	When	Date Range
Bloom	November 22	Nov 22 – Feb 14
Fall Sowing	September 13	Sep 13 – Sep 27

▸ Zone 8a ~255 day growing season · Full guide →

Last frost: March 8 · First frost: November 18 · 255 day season

Activity	When	Date Range
Bloom	November 25	Nov 25 – Feb 17
Fall Sowing	September 16	Sep 16 – Sep 30

▸ Zone 8b ~276 day growing season · Full guide →

Last frost: February 25 · First frost: November 28 · 276 day season

Activity	When	Date Range
Bloom	December 5	Dec 5 – Feb 13
Fall Sowing	September 26	Sep 26 – Oct 10

▸ Zone 9a ~303 day growing season · Full guide →

Last frost: February 10 · First frost: December 10 · 303 day season

Activity	When	Date Range
Bloom	December 10	Dec 10 – Feb 4
Fall Sowing	October 1	Oct 1 – Oct 15

Growing Tips for Washington

Soak seeds 24 hours before sowing to soften the hard seed coat; nick the seed coat with a file for the fastest germination. In cold zones (2–6), direct-sow as soon as soil can be worked, 4–6 weeks before last frost; seedlings tolerate light frost but not a hard freeze. In zones 7–9, fall-sow 8–10 weeks before first frost for earlier, stronger spring bloom. Provide a trellis or netting from the start. Feed with low-nitrogen, high-potassium fertilizer once buds form. Pick blooms regularly — even one mature seed pod stops flower production. All plant parts are mildly toxic if eaten.

Sweet Pea in Other States

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I plant Sweet Pea in Washington?

Planting dates for Sweet Pea in Washington depend on your USDA zone. Washington spans zones 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a. Check the planting calendar above for your specific zone's frost dates and planting windows.

What zone is Washington for planting?

Washington contains USDA hardiness zones 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a. Your specific zone depends on your location within the state — northern and higher-elevation areas are in colder zones, while southern and coastal areas are warmer.

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