Eating fresh, young sweet peas directly from the garden – or better yet, in the garden – is a treat that few people have the opportunity to experience. Not so for the home vegetable gardener in north Florida. Sweet garden peas (English peas) grow well here. The key to success is timing.

Sweet peas are a cool weather crop in north Florida. They must be planted in January, February or early March because the plants will wither away and die as soon as it gets hot. I like to sow seeds between mid January and early February.

Varieties recommended for Florida are Wando, Green Arrow and Laxton’s Progress.

Now is the time to prepare the soil and order seeds if you would like to include sweet peas in your front yard or backyard garden.

Work some compost, leaves, grass clippings or other organic material into the soil now. Add some 10-10-10 fertilizer with minor elements when you sow the seeds, about three or four weeks from now.

Many varieties of sweet peas need support. I usually grow them along a fence. Special pea fencing and netting for home gardens also is widely available. Use my handy search engine to find seeds and fencing.

Harvest your peas when they are young and still small, and eat them immediately, for a sugary-sweet flavor you’ll never get from canned or frozen peas. We rarely cook the sweet peas that I grow – in fact, most never even make it out of the garden! Those that do find their way into the house are a wonderful addition to the night’s fresh salad.

Give it a try and discover the true meaning of "garden fresh."