Ornamental sweet peas can be called one of the first successful results in plant breeding. He was bred as a result of crossing, while receiving not only a delightful appearance, but also a pleasant enchanting aroma.

This culture has one more feature - differing in the variety of shades of inflorescences: white, pink, red, purple and blue, it cannot be yellow, no matter how hard the breeders try. However, this does not detract from the merits of this annual.

Among the latter - unpretentiousness to growth conditions, as well as the duration of flowering from early summer to November. Grow it in the garden and open balconies, like a tall lavater, only using trellises and garters. There are also varieties that grow in the form of shrubs that are great for flowerpots.

Growing features and optimal conditions

For comfortable growth of this crop, fertile soils are required, always with good drainage properties. At the same time, they must provide decent aeration of the root system. Not suitable for growing garden areas where precipitation is likely to accumulate or close to groundwater.

By reaction, neutral soils are preferred. Since autumn, it is also desirable to fertilize the flower bed with phosphorus and potassium or make rotted compost. In turn, fresh manure will be detrimental to sweet peas. Nitrogenous fertilizers are absolutely not required for this flower.

Sweet peas need good diffused lighting and heat up to twenty-five degrees Celsius. Under the condition of drought and under constant direct sunlight, it can drop inflorescences and even die.

This flower is propagated exclusively by seeds, which are best purchased from a trusted manufacturer, since, like artificially bred petunias, self-harvested seeds lose some of the qualities of the mother plant.

The main pests sweet peas are nodule weevils and aphids, which can be dealt with by spraying with insecticides or soapy water.

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For decoration personal plot sweet peas are the best. Its amazing bright flowers always attract attention and admiration. Inhaling the pleasant aroma exuded by them, you forget about everything. As you guessed, dear summer residents and, the hero of our today's story - sweet pea. Growing from seeds, when to plant, photos and descriptions are all in the article.

Why plant sweet peas?

1. High decorative. For its extraordinary beauty, this plant is loved the most. Although the development of new varieties was rather slow, today there are a whole lot of them. They differ in everything: the color and shape of the flowers, the structure of the bush (low and curly). Each florist can choose to his taste. By planting different varieties mixed, you will get a real rainbow in your area, as shown in the photo.


2. Flowering duration. This is an indisputable advantage of sweet peas. With the right approach to cultivation, it can be achieved that it blooms most of the season. This beautiful representative of the flora tolerates slight frosts well, so you can plant it early.
3. Bright aroma. A bonus to the colorful picture created by sweet peas on the site is an indescribable aroma!


In the photo, options for planting sweet peas

Growing sweet pea seedlings - yes or no?

Some flower growers unequivocally argue that growing sweet peas through seedlings is an unjustified expenditure of effort. The plant does not withstand transplanting well due to the structural features of the root system and the fragility of the stems.

On the other hand, seedless cultivation of climbing varieties of sweet peas leads to late flowering - in the second half of summer. Of course, everyone wants to observe such beauty from the very beginning of summer, therefore, despite the problems with transplanting, many flower growers still take up growing seedlings. If you want to collect seeds, then you most likely cannot do without seedlings.

When growing sweet peas without seedlings, it may not be possible to collect seeds

Preparing seeds for planting

Whether you are planting seeds in seedlings or directly in open ground they need to be well prepared. Florists advise them to soak and wait until they hatch. This is especially important in the case of using purchased seeds, the quality of which can be doubted. During soaking, it is easy to control the process and see which seeds are worth relying on and which will not germinate at all.

First, the seeds must be filled with water for a day to swell. Then the water should be drained, and the seeds should be wrapped in a moistened cloth, wrapped in polyethylene and placed in a warm place. Those that hatch can be sown, the rest can be discarded or try to germinate again.

Growing sweet pea seedlings

If you still decide to strain your strength to grow seedlings and get early flowering sweet peas, then the following tips will definitely come in handy for you:

For sowing, you need small but deep containers. These can be disposable 200-gram cups. The roots in such a container will densely braid an earthen ball, and it will not collapse during transplantation. In smaller containers, the soil will dry out quickly, and a poorly developed root will slow down the development of seedlings.
Immediately after the emergence of seedlings, transfer the container to a bright but cool place. Glazed balcony is good. If the only option is a window sill, then you need to open the window often. In April, the daylight hours are long enough so that allspice seedlings do not experience an urgent need for additional lighting.
At the time of full development of two true leaves in plants, the growth point must be removed. Lateral shoots can also be cut off, leaving two leaves each. Such a measure will contribute to the active development of the root system.
If you are also growing seedlings of other crops, you should not be guided by them in the frequency of watering. Remember, sweet peas require much more moisture than other vegetables and ornamental crops. Don't let the ground dry out underneath.
Plant plants in open ground at the age of one month - by this time, suitable running conditions should just come. Even if there are frosts at the end of April or at the beginning of May, they are small, so sweet peas will easily survive them.
When disembarking, make every effort not to destroy the earthen lump and break the delicate stems of the plant. For a couple of days, if possible, create a small shadow over the sprouts.

And now about when to plant a crop. It is ideal to sow the seeds of allspice for seedlings in early April. It is not worth rushing when landing in the winter. This will give thin and weak seedlings.

How and when to plant seeds outdoors

Planting sweet pea seeds outdoors is the more common way to grow the crop. If the selected variety is perennial, this will have to be done only once every few years. To the question - when to plant, we answer: in May. And to the question - how to plant, we give recommendations:

Dig holes 3 cm deep at a distance of 8-10 cm from each other.
Place 3 seeds in each hole.
The earth must be watered.

Caring for allspice, photo

It's time to talk about caring for allspice outdoors. Check out the basic tips for flower growers.

Watering. As already noted, sweet peas are demanding on watering. It quickly absorbs water from the ground. We must warn you - if you rarely appear on your site, then you will not grow a luxuriantly flowering plant. And one more nuance: the bushes from which you plan to collect seeds need to be watered much less frequently.

Top dressing. By and large, sweet peas can do without additional nutrition. But by adding top dressing to the soil, you will achieve more lush and long flowering. If you decide to fertilize, choose a chlorine-free fertilizer and don't get carried away with nitrogenous fertilizers.

Sweet pea is a plant belonging to the genus Chin in the legume family. It is annual and perennial. It is unpretentious in planting and care. Perennial varieties of chiny have a slight pleasant smell and can grow up to 10 years in one place. Sweet peas have angular stems and are pink or purple flowers, which are collected in inflorescences.

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    Description

    The sweet pea flower has a highly branched root system that can penetrate the soil to a depth of 1.5 m. The plant, like most legumes, can enter into symbiosis with nodule bacteria that absorb nitrogen from the air. The stems of peas are climbing and slightly branched, capable of climbing a support with the help of modified leaves - branched tendrils.

    The plant begins to bloom in July, and this lasts for proper care until frost. The shape of the flowers resembles exotic colored butterflies. The fruits of peas are small bivalve beans with spherical seeds of greenish, yellow or black-brown color.

    Varieties

    Sweet pea flower varieties are:

    • tall;
    • medium height;
    • undersized.

    Tall varieties (up to 3 m) include specimens that have large bright peduncles that can reach a length of 30 cm. They are used both for cutting and for vertical gardening.These include:

    • Alice is a variety with a delicate pink-cream-lilac color of flowers, which are collected in 4-5 pieces on long peduncles;
    • Selecttsvet - a variety with a burgundy-chestnut color;
    • Cremona - corrugated fragrant flowers have a cream color and are collected in 6-7 pieces on a peduncle.

    Medium-sized varieties (up to 1 m):

    • Lummer is a profusely flowering variety, the flowers of which are white-pink in color;
    • 850th anniversary of Moscow - a variety without a mustache, with double flowers Pink colour on a strong peduncle.

    Low-growing varieties (up to 60 cm):

    • Faith - has bright red flowers;
    • Floriada - distinguished by scarlet inflorescences;
    • Galina - has lilac-purple flowers.

    Echinacea plant - growing from seeds, planting in open ground and caring for a flower

    cultivation

    Like other plants cultivated in front gardens, it is desirable to plant sweet peas in seedlings. Climate plays an important role. If the soil does not freeze in the region, then the seeds can be planted immediately in the ground.

    Severe frosts can kill young sprouts, so they use the seedling method.

    Sowing seeds

    Growing a flower from seeds begins with the fact that it is sown for seedlings in mid-March. Since pea seeds germinate very difficult, they are soaked in water for 10-12 hours or kept in a 50-degree solution of the Buton preparation. Then for 2-4 days they should be germinated in wet sand or gauze. When the seeds hatch, they should be planted immediately.

    Store soils for roses and saintpaulias are used as a substrate, or they make the soil mixture on their own. To do this, take turf land, peat and humus in a ratio of 1:2:2. These components must be disinfected with a strong solution of potassium permanganate.

    Sowing is carried out in moist soil to a depth of 2–3 cm, planting 2–3 seeds in each cup. If a common container is used for seedlings, then the distance between the seeds should be 8 cm. After sowing, the soil is watered, the pot or box is covered with foil and placed on a sunny windowsill at a temperature of 18–22 degrees.


    seedling care

    When, after a week or two, the seeds begin to actively grow, the film is removed from the container and taken to a room with a temperature of 15-16 degrees. The substrate should always be kept slightly moist, and the seedlings should be provided with good lighting. If it is not possible to grow seedlings on the south window, then they will organize it artificial lighting for 2-3 hours daily using a fluorescent lamp or phytolamp.

    When the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, then pinch it. This stimulates the development of side shoots. After the procedure, the seedlings are fed with Kemira's solution.

    Landing in open ground

    Seedlings are planted in open ground in late spring. At this time, the soil is already warming up well and there is no threat of a return of frost. If the seedlings have already formed buds or flowers, then you need to cut them off so that the plant directs its energy to the formation of the root system. Hardening procedures are carried out 10 days before planting seedlings. To do this, the pot with seedlings is taken out into the open air every day and the duration of stay is gradually increased until the seedlings can be outside for a whole day.

    Sweet peas prefer bright, warm places and moist, well-drained soil enriched with fertilizers. Before planting, the site is dug up to the depth of a spade bayonet with humus, compost, potash and phosphorus fertilizers. Do not use fresh manure because it promotes Fusarium wilt.

    To plant seedlings, holes are made at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other and 2-3 plants are planted in each. If the variety is tall, then you must immediately install the supports. You need to know that in the fall, annual sweet peas are disposed of and it will be possible to plant it again in this area only after 4–5 years.

    How to care for peas?

    Caring for sweet peas is not a very laborious process. To grow a plant, it is necessary:

    • water;
    • weed;
    • fertilize;
    • protect against diseases and pests.

    You need to water the plant regularly and with a sufficient amount of water, otherwise, due to lack of moisture, buds and flowers fall from it, and flowering will be short-lived. In dry summers, sweet peas are recommended to be watered every day, spending 30–35 liters of water per m2 of planting. To prolong flowering, you need to get rid of wilted flowers in time.

    Tall varieties are tied to supports using a net or twine for this. As the plant grows, its stems should be directed in the right direction, after which they are tied up.

    Feeding sweet peas is optional, but desirable. At the very beginning of growth, 1 tbsp is used as a fertilizer. l. urea and 1 tbsp. l. nitrophoska, which are stirred in 10 liters of water. At the beginning of flowering, peas are fed with a solution of Agricola and potassium sulfate, for the preparation of which a tablespoon of these components is mixed in 10 liters of water. At the height of flowering, the plant is fertilized with Agricola and Rossa, dissolving one tablespoon of fertilizer in a bucket of water.

    Diseases and pests

    Sweet peas can be attacked by pests and fungal diseases. Of the pests, the nodule weevil is the most dangerous and different types aphids. At the beginning of the growing season, the weevil gnaws semicircles along the edges of the leaves, and its larvae feed on the roots of the plant. As a preventive measure against a pest, when planting seedlings, it is necessary to pour 100 ml of a 0.1% solution of chlorophos into each well. The plants themselves are sprayed with the same solution.

    Sweet peas are most often affected by pea, chin and bean aphids. These small pests are able to suck the juice from plants, deforming their organs and infecting them with viral diseases. To destroy aphids, peas during the growing season should be treated 2-3 times with Tsiram and Tsineb.

    Of the diseases, the plant is affected by:

    • ascochitosis;
    • viral mosaic;
    • root rot;
    • fusarium;
    • peronosporosis;
    • powdery mildew.

    When ascochitosis occurs on stems, beans and pea leaves, brown spots with clear boundaries. To cure a plant, it is treated with a solution of Rogor.

    Peronosporosis and powdery mildew are manifested by a loose whitish coating on the stems and leaves of plants. Gradually, they begin to turn yellow, turn brown and fall off. To destroy pathogens, use a 5% solution of colloidal sulfur, which is washed with leaves.

    Signs of fusarium are yellowing and withering leaves of sweet peas. The affected plant cannot be treated, so it is destroyed, and healthy bushes are treated with a solution of the Tilt preparation. In order to prevent on the site, it is necessary to observe the alternation of crops.

    From root rot and black leg, the roots and root neck of peas darken, as a result of which the plant dies. Infected plants cannot be saved, so they are destroyed, and healthy ones are transplanted to another place, having previously disinfected the soil and roots.

    If peas are affected by a viral mosaic, then it appears as a line pattern on the leaves, and the tops of the infected plants twist and deform. All plants that have become ill with viral diseases should be removed and burned, because they cannot be cured.

    plant in landscape design


    Sweet pea is a climbing plant with many tendrils. It blooms for a long time and has a pleasant aroma. As a result, it is widely used in landscape design plot and garden.

    Tall climbing varieties are used to decorate fences, verandas, arches. With the help of artificial plantations and supports of peas, the most unsightly parts of the garden can be well masked. It also looks good in the background of the flower garden.

    Low varieties are grown in balcony boxes, on the edge of a border or flower bed. Peas can go well with other annuals and coexist well with perennials. It makes a tangible contribution to the ecology of the garden, enriching the soil with nitrogen and giving nectar to beneficial insects.

Fragrant, clustered sweet pea flowers add a whimsical touch to any garden. Sweet peas develop curly tendrils that allow them to climb fences and trellises, creating a magical atmosphere. They grow easily in many climates with proper preparation for the growing season. See Step 1 for instructions on how to grow these delightful flowers.

Steps

Part 1

Planting sweet pea seeds

    Buy sweet pea seeds. Sweet peas are usually grown from seed. You can either plant it in seed trays indoors and later transplant it into a garden bed, or you can plant it outdoors right away. Seeds can be purchased at any garden store. Look for rare varieties in online stores.

    • "Old-fashioned" sweet peas will produce very fragrant flowers.
    • Spencer cultivars have vibrant colors but are less fragrant. You will find them in pink, purple, blue, white and red.
  1. Decide when to start planting seeds. Sweet peas can be grown in any zone, but it is important to know right time to get them ready. They should be planted as early as possible to form a strong root system and survive the summer. Therefore, starting to plant seeds at the beginning of the year is usually the best solution.

    • If you live in a temperate zone where the ground doesn't freeze in winter, you can plant your seeds directly into the ground as early as November, although planting in January or February is also fine. Water it during the winter and sweet peas will appear in the spring.
    • If you live in an area where winters are cold, plant the seeds indoors. Thus, the seedlings will be ready for planting as soon as the first frost has passed. If you wait too long to plant the seeds, they won't have time to take root in the soil until the summer when the weather gets hot.
  2. Soak or cut the seeds. Sweet pea seeds have best odds for germination if you pierce the seed coat before planting. You can do this either by soaking them in a pot of water overnight, or by using a tiny knife or nail clippers to cut open the surface of each seed.

    • If you have soaked the seeds, plant only those that swelled during the overnight soak. Discard those that have not changed in size.
  3. Sow the seeds in a seed substrate. 5 weeks before the last frost (usually mid-February or so), prepare small seed trays or peat containers with seed starter mix. Sow the seeds 3 cm deep and 8 cm apart, or in separate compartments.

    Keep them warm and moist. Water the seed trays and lightly cover them with plastic wrap for the first week to regulate the temperature. Keep them in a greenhouse or on sunny window in a room where the temperature does not fall below 20 ⁰С. Once the seedlings have germinated, remove the film and keep them moist and warm until it's time to plant them right after the last frost.

    • If you are using seed trays, thin out the seedlings to a distance of 14 cm between seedlings once they have sprouted leaves.
    • Pick flowers and buds before transplanting so that the energy of the seedlings is channeled into the new growing roots.

    Part 2

    Planting sweet peas
    1. Select sunny place in the yard or in the garden. Sweet peas of all varieties grow well in sunny areas, making them an excellent choice for exposed fences and walls. In the heat of summer, sweet peas grow well in partial shade, but it's best to find somewhere sunny on a safe side. Because sweet peas climb, find a spot where they can grow skyward. It produces small tendrils that will cover any type of pole if you plant it nearby.

      • Sweet peas are a great natural decoration for fences. if you have wooden fence or a chain link fence you want to decorate, plant sweet peas there.
      • Sweet peas are often grown on trellises or arches. This is another great choice and it will also give your garden a country cottage feel.
      • If you don't have a suitable place for sweet peas, set up some bamboo poles in your garden and plant sweet peas there. This will give some height and beauty to your garden. In addition, you can create a tower of racks in a pot or a small gazebo.
      • You can plant sweet peas among other plants such as shrubs or vegetables.
    2. Enrich the soil. Sweet peas grow best in fertile, well-drained soil. Prepare the soil for planting by working it to a depth of 15 cm and fertilizing it with compost or manure. This is especially important if your soil is heavy and clayey; you will need to add extra compost to make sure the soil absorbs water, which is good enough for sweet pea roots.

      • To determine if the soil is draining well enough, observe it after heavy rain. If the water collects and the puddles dry out for a long time, the soil there is not drained. If the water is absorbed immediately, it is good for the seedlings.
      • Use of raised beds - a good option if you think your soil is too clayey and heavy for growing seedlings. They will also come in handy for other plants you want to grow.
    3. Plant sweet peas in early spring. Whether you'll be planting seeds inside and planting seedlings, or you want to plant seeds directly in your garden bed, early spring is the time to do so. If you live in a warm place where the ground never freezes, you can plant them in January or February. If you live in an area where the ground freezes, wait until the first frost has passed and plant in early to mid-April.

      Dig holes for the sweet peas. If you are transplanting seedlings, dig holes 14 cm apart and deep enough to plant the seedlings into the ground with a root ball. Lightly pat the fresh soil around the stems of the seedlings. For seeds that you plant directly in the ground, dig holes 3 cm deep and 8 cm apart. When they germinate, you need to thin them out so that they are 14 cm apart so that each plant has enough room to grow.

      Water sweet peas. Finish by giving the plants a good dose of fresh water. Sweet peas will begin to grow rapidly as soon as warm weather arrives.

    Part 3

    Sweet Pea Care

      Water it frequently during the hot months. Sweet peas should be beautiful and hydrated throughout the summer. Water it lightly every day if there is no rain. Check the soil surrounding the sweet pea stalks frequently to make sure it hasn't dried out.

      Fertilize once a month. Sweet peas are quite prolific, and the monthly lung application fertilizer will keep it blooming for many weeks. This is not required, but useful if you want it to produce more colors. Use compost, manure, or a high potassium fertilizer.

Turning a garden plot into a real piece of paradise is easy with the help of delicate inflorescences of sweet peas. This curly flowering plant will decorate any territory, braiding various supports with a weightless carpet and spreading a pleasant delicate aroma in the air. As the name implies, this plant has inflorescences with a pleasant delicate smell. In addition, thanks to the wide color palette It is easy to choose a shade of petals to your liking.

Benefits of growing sweet peas

Weaving on various supports, sweet peas with delicate flowers have a number of undeniable advantages, thanks to which it has gained wide popularity among modern summer residents and has become widespread in the yards of private houses and on garden plots. Sweet peas are quite unpretentious and are also suitable for vertical gardening of a balcony or loggia - with sufficient watering, it is easy to grow it in boxes with earth.

Among the benefits of sweet peas, the following can be mentioned:

  • high decorative properties - with the help of this climbing plant, it is easy to create a flowering screen on the site, decorate a nondescript wall of a house or a barn, a garden pergola, an arbor or a fence;
  • unpretentiousness of this plant - it may well endure autumn and spring frosts(up to -5 °C);
  • the ability to form a comfortable diffused shadow with its weaving on supports nearby;
  • undersized varieties of sweet peas can be planted in flower beds without any supports;
  • higher growth rate compared to slow growing climbing perennials;
  • long flowering period compared to many other climbing annuals (at least three months);
  • sweet peas can be grown not only on open ground, it grows well on balconies - the southeast side of buildings is optimal for this;
  • this plant retains its freshness in cut form for quite a long time, bouquets of delicate sweet pea flowers are simply amazing.

Growing conditions for sweet peas

This crop can be grown in various climatic zones. Sweet peas thrive in open and windless places (sunny or slightly shaded), in moist and drained breathable soil. This plant does not tolerate growing on heavy clay soils very well, constant waterlogging or close occurrence of groundwater, due to significant temperature changes, it can shed its petals or die.

Before planting sweet peas, it is necessary to first prepare the soil, creating favorable conditions for the normal development of the root system. To do this, add compost for digging to a depth of 15-30 cm, as well as phosphorus and potash fertilizers in the usual norms. It should be noted that for this crop it is not recommended to apply nitrogen fertilizers, as well as fresh manure. Sufficiently fertile soil with neutral acidity is optimal for the growth of sweet peas. In case of increased acidity of the soil, before planting this plant, it is recommended to apply liming in advance by adding slaked lime.

Some gardeners argue that growing sweet peas is not so easy to implement - they say, the plant is quite capricious. In fact, figuring out how to grow sweet peas is not too difficult.

To create optimal conditions for the growth of this plant, several features should be considered:

  • Growing sweet peas from seedlings is a more labor-intensive process compared to planting seeds in open ground. In addition, it should be borne in mind that seedlings are less frost-resistant and more capricious. The branched root system of this plant, which goes deep enough into the soil, does not always tolerate transplantation well, moreover, its thin long stems break easily. Thus, sweet pea seedlings must be transplanted along with an earthen pot;
  • this plant has seeds with a very dense shell, as a result of which their germination is often difficult and occurs unevenly in time. Gardeners use some tricks to speed up this process (pre-soaking, cutting or rubbing with sandpaper);
  • planted plants quickly stretch and can break, therefore it is recommended to install supports for weaving (optimally - nets) as soon as possible and tie plants to them as needed;
  • sweet peas are characterized by the development of a root system that goes deep into the soil and actively absorbs moisture. As a result, for the normal development of plants, it will be necessary to organize regular abundant watering.

When to plant sweet peas

To find the conditions suitable for planting a given plant, first find out how well this particular variety tolerates cold, how to plant sweet peas, what conditions are optimal for growing it. You should not delay the moment of planting, since the growing season for this plant is quite long. It will take about two to three months from the moment the seeds germinate to the beginning of the flowering of sweet peas. The sooner this happens, the sooner the plant will delight you with its flowering.

The timing of planting and caring for sweet peas must be correlated with actual climatic conditions. In areas with a mild subtropical climate, it is allowed to plant this plant in the ground in November, with a moderate one - in early spring (this should be done only if the soil does not freeze through). With such cultivation of sweet peas from seeds, flowering of the plant should be expected by mid-spring.

In severe winters, sweet peas can also be planted in February, but not directly in open ground, but indoors. Thus, it is possible to prepare seedlings in advance for the beginning of the gardening season - for planting after the snow melts at a permanent place of growth. In temperate climates, it is recommended to soak the seeds in April-early May. At the same time, depending on the current weather conditions, sweet peas can be planted in open ground from early April to early summer.

Sweet Pea Seed Preparation

To speed up the germination of the seeds of this plant, experienced gardeners apply some tricks. Some craftsmen lightly rub the seeds between layers of sandpaper, or gently cut their surface slightly with manicure scissors or a small knife. To create optimal conditions, brown-brown or grayish-brown sweet pea seeds are soaked for several hours. It should be borne in mind that light cream seeds must be planted dry, as they often die when soaked.

To germinate, place different varieties of seeds in separate containers and fill with warm or hot water(up to 60°C). After some time (during the day), you should drain the water and cover the seeds with a moistened cloth, periodically adding a little water. You can also place them in moistened sand or sawdust. At a temperature of 18-23 ° C shoots appear in about 6-10 days. After germination, seeds should be sown immediately.

Planting sweet peas

As mentioned above, this plant can be grown in two ways:

  • from seeds planted directly in open ground;
  • from seedlings.

Each of these methods of growing a given crop has its own advantages and adherents. It should be borne in mind that in a temperate climate, when seeds are planted directly in open ground, the flowering of sweet peas will begin no earlier than the end of July. After the snow melts and with sufficient warming of the soil, sweet pea seeds are sown in open ground in several pieces (2-3 seeds). To do this, you need to make holes 2-3 cm deep, located at a short distance (10-20 cm).

To grow seedlings of sweet peas, a soil mixture should be prepared from soddy land with the addition of humus, peat and sand. As pots for seedlings, you can use fairly deep narrow containers (for example, disposable plastic cups 200 ml). Seeds must be planted in holes about 2 cm deep and watered. The emerging shoots should be kept in a cool and bright place at a temperature of about 15 ° C, not forgetting about abundant watering, for two weeks - such conditions are optimal for the development of the root system of the plant and the formation of nodules that fix nitrogen from the soil. If weather conditions allow, it is convenient to place seedlings on a glazed balcony. In addition, it can be placed on the windowsill in a cool room (at least at night it will be necessary to provide an influx of cold air). To stimulate the growth of plants, it is recommended to feed the seedlings a couple of times sequentially. After a few weeks, the roots of sweet peas will be tightly braided in cups with an earthen ball. After the formation of the first two leaves, the growth point is pinched (the top is removed), then the same must be done with the side shoots and top dressing. Thus, the peas will begin to bush, increasing the root mass.

For planting in a permanent place of growth in open ground, it is necessary to carefully pull out an earthen clod with seedlings from the pot, so as not to destroy the root system of the seedling. It is convenient to do this by first cutting and removing the plastic cup.

Sweet Pea Care

During the first two or three days of being in the open field, it is advisable to shade the seedlings. As a rule, at first the planted plants freeze for several days, and then grow. Within a week, sweet peas can grow new, already much more powerful side shoots compared to the previously developed side shoots.

After planting in open ground, this plant needs the usual care in the form of periodic weeding, loosening and not very frequent, but plentiful watering. In addition, it will be necessary to provide support for developing climbing plants- for these purposes, a mesh or stretched twine is suitable. As the shoots of sweet peas grow, they must be oriented in the right direction, and tied up in this position. To stimulate the development of adnexal processes of the root system, you will need to hill the plant and apply top dressing. To do this, the nutrient substrate must be added to the root system of young shoots.

There is another important nuance that should be considered when growing sweet peas. To prolong the flowering of plants, it is necessary to cut off the emerging ovary of the pods (faded flower stalks), otherwise it may stop within a month. To obtain seeds, it is enough to leave a few pods on each plant.

Due to excessive moisture in the soil and air, this plant can be affected by various diseases - for example, powdery mildew, as well as root rot. In addition, the appearance of pests in the form of snails and slugs is possible.


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