Expert: Mike Mascio - 8/19/2006

Question
Hiya! We live in Victoria BC Canada and my question is about sweet peas. My container garden is on our west facing second story deck. I gets really hot in the summer and I grow lettuce and pansies through the winter. It's actually easier to grow things through the winter than the summer! I have privacy issues and would like to grow a vining plant through the winter in the boxes (18" long, 8" deep) that line our wrought iron deck guard. Would sweet peas work here? I tried them through the summer but they didn't do very well at all and I think it's because it's too hot. If sweet peas won't work, what about the vine Ruby Moon? Many thanks for whatever help you can provide.

Best, Jane

Answer
Jane, either would work just fine. Moon flowers, vining black-eyed susans, or morning glories would be excellent choices for flowering plants. Sweet peas or snap peas are the best choices for vining vegetables since they do like cooler temperatures.

Good luck, and thanks for writing.

Regards,

Mike