Turn your garden plot into a real one paradise easy with the help of delicate sweet pea inflorescences. This climbing flowering plant will decorate any area, entwining various supports with a weightless carpet and spreading a pleasant, subtle aroma in the air. As the name suggests, this plant It has inflorescences with a pleasant, delicate scent. In addition, thanks to the wide color palette It’s easy to choose the shade of petals you like.
Benefits of growing sweet peas
Weaving on various supports sweet pea with delicate flowers has a number of undeniable advantages, thanks to which it has gained wide popularity among modern summer residents and has become widespread in the courtyards of private houses and in garden plots. Sweet peas are quite unpretentious and are also suitable for vertical gardening on a balcony or loggia - if sufficient watering It is easy to grow in boxes with soil.
Some of the benefits of sweet pea include:
- 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 barn, a garden pergola, a gazebo or a fence;
- the unpretentiousness of this plant - it can easily tolerate autumn and spring frosts (down to -5 °C);
- the ability to form a comfortable diffused shadow with its weaving on nearby supports;
- low-growing varieties of sweet peas can be planted in flower beds without any supports;
- more high speed growth compared to slow-growing climbing perennial vines;
- long flowering period compared to many other climbing annual plants (at least three months);
- sweet peas can be grown not only in open ground, they grow well on balconies - the south-eastern side of buildings is optimal for this;
- This plant remains fresh when cut for quite a long time; bouquets of delicate sweet pea flowers are simply stunning.
Conditions for growing sweet peas
This crop can be grown in different climatic zones. Sweet peas thrive in open and windless places (sunny or slightly shaded), in moist and well-drained, breathable soil. This plant does not tolerate growing on heavy clay soils, constant waterlogging or close proximity very well. groundwater, due to significant temperature changes, it can shed its petals or die.
Before planting sweet peas, you need to first prepare the soil by creating favorable conditions For normal development root system. To do this, you should add compost, as well as phosphorus and potassium fertilizers at the usual rates, to a depth of 15-30 cm under digging. It should be noted that it is not recommended to apply nitrogen fertilizers for this crop, and fresh manure. Sufficiently fertile soil with neutral acidity is optimal for growing 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.
Useful tips for growing sweet peas
Some gardeners argue that growing sweet peas is not so easy - 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 taken into account:
- growing sweet peas using seedlings is a more labor-intensive process compared to planting seeds in open ground. In addition, it is worth considering that seedlings are less frost-resistant and more capricious. The branched root system of this plant, which goes quite deep into the soil, does not always tolerate transplantation well; moreover, its thin long stems break easily. Thus, sweet pea seedlings must be replanted together 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 over time. Gardeners use some tricks to speed up this process (pre-soaking, cutting or rubbing with sandpaper);
- planted plants quickly stretch out and can break, so it is recommended to install supports for weaving (optimally nets) as early as possible and tie plants to them as necessary;
- 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 select suitable conditions for planting a given plant, first find out how well this particular variety tolerates cold, how to plant sweet peas, and what conditions are optimal for growing them. You should not delay the moment of planting, since the growing season of this plant is quite long. From the moment the seeds germinate until the sweet peas begin to bloom, it will take about two to three months. 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 obvious climatic conditions. In areas with a mild subtropical climate, it is allowed to plant this plant in the ground in November, in a moderate climate - in early spring (this should only be done if the soil does not freeze). When growing sweet peas from seeds this way, you should expect the plant to bloom by mid-spring.
At harsh winters Sweet peas can also be planted in February, but not directly in open ground, but indoors. In this way, you can prepare seedlings in advance for the beginning of the gardening season - for planting after the snow melts on permanent place growth. In conditions temperate climate It is recommended to soak the seeds in April-early May. At the same time, depending on the current weather conditions, you can plant sweet peas in open ground from early April to early summer.
Preparing Sweet Pea Seeds
To speed up the germination of the seeds of this plant, experienced gardeners use some tricks. Some craftsmen lightly rub the seeds between layers of sandpaper, or carefully lightly cut their surface using nail scissors or a small knife. To create optimal conditions, sweet pea seeds, brown or grayish-brown in color, are soaked for several hours. Please note that light cream seeds must be planted dry, as they often die when soaked.
For germination, place different varieties seeds into separate containers and fill with warm or hot water(up to 60°C). After some time (during the day), drain the water and cover the seeds with a damp cloth, periodically adding a little water. You can also place them in moistened sand or sawdust. At temperatures of 18-23 °C, seedlings appear in approximately 6-10 days. After germination, the 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 planting seeds directly in open ground, flowering of sweet peas will begin no earlier than the end of July. After the snow melts and when the soil has sufficiently warmed up, sweet pea seeds are sown in open ground, several at a time (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 sweet pea seedlings, you should prepare a soil mixture of turf soil with the addition of humus, peat and sand. Sufficiently deep, narrow containers (for example, 200 ml disposable plastic cups) can be used as pots for seedlings. Seeds must be planted in holes about 2 cm deep and watered. The emerging seedlings 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 plant’s root system and the formation of nodules that fix nitrogen from the soil. If weather conditions permit, it is convenient to place the seedlings on a glazed balcony. In addition, it can be placed on a windowsill in a cool room (in this case, at least at night, you will need to provide an influx of cold air). To stimulate plant growth, it is recommended to fertilize the seedlings a couple of times in succession. After a few weeks, the roots of the sweet peas will be tightly entwined in the cups. earthen lump. After the first two leaves are formed, the growing point is pinched (the top is removed), then the same must be done with the side shoots and fertilizing is applied. Thus, the peas will begin to bush, increasing the root mass.
To plant in a permanent place of growth in open ground, it is necessary to carefully remove the earthen ball with seedlings from the pot, so as not to destroy it. root system seedling. It is convenient to do this by first cutting and removing the plastic cup.
Caring for sweet peas
During the first two to three days of being in open ground, it is advisable to shade the seedlings. As a rule, at first the planted plants freeze for several days and then begin to grow. Within a week, sweet peas can grow new ones, which are already much more powerful compared to the previously developed side shoots.
After planting in open ground, this plant requires routine care in the form of periodic weeding, loosening and not very frequent, but abundant watering. In addition, it will be necessary to provide support for developing climbing plants– a mesh or stretched twine is suitable for these purposes. As sweet pea shoots grow, they need to be oriented towards in the right direction, and tie it in this position. To stimulate the development of adventitious shoots of the root system, you will need to hill up the plant and apply fertilizing. To do this, the nutrient substrate must be added to the root system of young shoots.
There is also an important nuance that should be taken into account when growing sweet peas. To prolong the flowering of plants, it is necessary to cut off the emerging ovaries of the pods (faded flower stalks), since otherwise it may stop within a month. To obtain seeds, it is enough to leave a few pods on each plant.
Due to excessive soil and air moisture, this plant can be affected by various diseases - for example, powdery mildew, as well as root rot. In addition, pests in the form of snails and slugs may appear.
It is necessary to plant as early as possible (in February).
Then the sweet peas will have time to form a strong root system by the beginning of summer, just in time for the flowering season.
Depending on the weather conditions of the region, choose the best method for planting sweet peas:
In temperate and subtropical climates, where the soil does not freeze in winter, it is worth planting sweet pea seeds as early as November. However, planting seeds in the ground at the beginning of the year is also suitable. In this case, the plant will bloom by mid-spring.
In areas where winters are very cold, seeds can also be planted in February. But this must be done indoors. This way you will prepare the seedlings for the beginning of the summer season, when all the snow has melted from the soil. To rejoice beautiful flowers already at the beginning of summer, there is no need to delay transplanting seedlings.
These are the basic rules for choosing a method for planting sweet peas. In addition, when choosing a plant variety, pay attention to its growing conditions - how it tolerates cold, is it easy to care for, what kind of soil does it like. This will allow you to create optimal conditions for the growth of sweet peas in accordance with a certain type of climate.
Preparing seeds for planting
Take a look at any seeds and you will notice that their shell is very dense. It is because of this that the seeds germinate “unfriendly” and take quite a long time. For faster germination, it is better to prepare the material in advance.
You can do this in 2 ways:
Cut the surface of each seed with a small knife (you can use nail scissors).
Soak the seeds overnight (or for at least 2 hours) in hot water(80? C). After this, they need to be germinated in a damp cloth (at 20-24? C). Once the seeds have sprouted, they are ready to plant. For germination, select only those seeds that have swelled after soaking. Seed material that has not changed in size is unlikely to sprout in the future.
Please note
Not all sweet pea seeds can be soaked in water. In some plant varieties they are light (cream-colored). Such material should be sown dry - moisture will destroy it!
Preparing the soil for planting
Sweet peas grow well in fertile, non-acidic, well-drained soil. If the land on your site is exactly like this, then no special additional measures will need to be taken. Simply till the flower bed to a depth of 15 cm and fertilize it with compost or manure.
Is the soil clayey and too heavy? Then additional processing will not be superfluous
For better drainage, add another layer of compost. This will improve the absorption process by the plant nutrients from the soil. And to check how well the area is drained, watch it during rain. If puddles do not dry out for a long time, then the soil in these places is not drained. Does the water go away immediately? No additional measures are required - this best place for future seedlings.
For planting, use slightly raised beds. Such beds can also be useful for growing other garden plants.
Planting sweet peas with seeds
The use of seed material when growing sweet peas is considered among gardeners to be a better method than planting them with seedlings, since the whole process is much simpler.
When you have germinated the seeds, it is time to start planting the plant in open ground. To do this, dig small holes (depth - 3 cm) in the soil prepared in advance. The distance between the holes is 8 cm. Place the sprouted seeds in these holes - 3 pieces in each.
In the future, when the vine begins to grow, the beds can be thinned out by increasing the distance between the holes - from 8 cm to 14 cm from each other. This will give the plants more room to grow.
Planting sweet peas through seedlings
Why use seedlings at all if planting seeds is much easier? Firstly, growing seedlings will ensure faster flowering of the plant, and secondly, if desired preserve the variety and collect seeds from future plantings, only this method is suitable.
To prepare seedlings you will need:
sprouted seeds,
containers (trays, boxes, or regular pots),
priming.
Seeds are planted in the ground to a depth of 3 cm (2-3 pieces in each hole) and at a distance from each other no more than 14 cm. The distance is not important if you use separate pots. Growing seedlings must be accompanied by maintaining constant temperature– not lower than 20 C. To do this, it is better to cover the trays with film or place them where there are sunlight(greenhouse, balcony).
Compliance with these conditions will be required until the seedlings produce their first shoots. Now, so that the shoots do not stretch upward too much, the trays need to be moved to a cooler place.
The seedlings are transferred to their permanent “place of residence” in mid-May. The distance between plantings is 20-25 cm. The depth of the holes will depend on the size of the plant’s root system.
Basic Rule
When transferring seedlings to the garden, do not damage the root system. Remove the seedlings from the container carefully. If the roots are damaged, sweet peas will not bloom profusely.
Rules for caring for sweet pea plantings
Despite the fact that sweet peas are unpretentious in care and resistant to weather changes, the plantings must be cared for so that the stems stretch upward and bloom profusely. Which important rules must be observed when caring for sweet pea plantings, regardless of the chosen variety?
Watering. The soil under the plant should be well moistened throughout its flowering period. Therefore, if there is no rain, lightly water the plantings every day. But if your goal is to collect seeds from an adult plant, you should water the vine much less frequently (even in very hot summers).
Top dressing. Many gardeners agree that it is not necessary to fertilize sweet peas. Essentially this is true. But by implementing additional feeding soil, you can achieve good results– the plant will bloom longer and more abundantly. 
During the flowering period, plantings are fertilized at least 2 times - a couple of weeks after planting (with manure mixed with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer) and just before flowering (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer).
It is forbidden to apply fertilizers containing chlorine to sweet peas - this negatively affects the quality of the inflorescences. Also, do not overdo it with nitrogen fertilizers.
Weeding. During the growth period of sweet peas, the soil under it is loosened and weeded out at least 5 times.
Pruning inflorescences. If you promptly trim the inflorescences on which green beans have already set, you will extend the life of sweet peas - they will bloom until frost. Therefore, regularly collect a “harvest” of fragrant flowers. But cut the flowers only after they are fully ripe. Also remove flowers that have faded. They do not benefit the plant, but only take all its energy.
Garter. The sweet pea vine grows very quickly, so it absolutely needs support.
Diseases and pests. Sweet peas are not too susceptible to diseases and pests. But there is still something to be wary of: root rot, powdery mildew, black leg, gray mold, aphids, spider mites.
Sweet pea is an annual plant. It won't return to your garden next summer on its own - you need to collect its seeds. To do this, save the seed pods of the plant until the next season, so that you can enjoy it the next season as well. pleasant aroma and admire the beautiful flowers.
Ornamental sweet peas can be called one of the first successful results in plant breeding. It was bred as a result of crossing, resulting in not only a delicious appearance, but also a pleasant enchanting aroma.
This culture also has one more feature - distinguished by 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 at all 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. It is grown in the garden and on open balconies, like tall lavatera, only using trellises and garters. There are also varieties that grow in the form of shrubs, which are excellent for flowerpots.
Growing features and optimal conditions
For comfortable growth of this crop it is necessary fertile soils, 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 may accumulate or nearby groundwater.
In terms of reaction, neutral soils are preferred. In the fall, it is also advisable to fertilize the flowerbed with phosphorus and potassium or add rotted compost. In turn, fresh manure will be detrimental to sweet peas. This flower does not require nitrogen fertilizers at all.
Sweet peas need good diffused lighting and heat up to twenty-five degrees Celsius. Under conditions of drought and under constant direct rays of the sun, it can shed its inflorescences and even die.
Reproduce this flower exclusively with 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.
Main pests sweet peas are nodule weevils and aphids, which can be controlled by spraying with insecticides or a soap solution.
Video on the topic
Sweet pea or sweet pea (LATHYRUS)
Sweet pea —
one of the most beautiful and beloved climbing plants in the world, which is usually used for vertical gardening balconies and windows, terraces, gazebos and other small architectural forms. Sweet peas gained such popularity due to their unique aroma, exquisite structure of flowers, abundant and long flowering, a rich spectrum of colors: from pure white through all shades of pink and red to dark burgundy and from soft blue and lilac to dark purple and even cherry chestnut. Moreover, being annual plant, it is simply ideal for those amateur gardeners who prefer frequent changes in the garden. The world collection of sweet peas today includes more than 1000 varieties.
Name and History: The Latin word for sweet pea is Lathyrus odomtus. The word "latyrus" was first used by Theophrastus and comes from ancient Greek name, consisting of "la" - very and "thoures" - attractive. The plant was noticed more than 300 years ago by the Sicilian monk Francisco Cupani, who, while walking in the evening near the walls of his monastery located on the coast Mediterranean Sea, caught it unusually strong aroma this flower. Hence the second half of the name - fragrant ("odoratus"). The monk collected the seeds and sent them in 1699 to England, to his friend Robert Uvedal - school teacher from Middlesex County. This is the main version of the history of the origin of this flower culture. 
Sweet peas bloom profusely and continuously starting in July. If you promptly prune the inflorescences on which small green fruits - pods - begin to form, the plants will bloom until frost. If, on the contrary, you want to collect seeds from the variety you like, then, firstly, it is advisable to grow it through seedlings, and secondly, leave 5-10 flower stalks with beans on the “seed” plants, and remove the remaining flowers. Each bean usually contains 5-8 seeds. 1 g contains 8-15 pieces. Seeds remain viable for 6-8 years, if, of course, they are stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. 
In central Russia, sweet peas are grown through seedlings, for which the seeds are soaked overnight in hot water (60-80 °C) in mid-March. Then the swollen seeds are sown 2-3 pieces in peat pots filled with an earthen mixture consisting of turf soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 2:1:0.5. Shoots appear in 4-7 days. In the phase of two or three true leaves, seedlings are pinched, removing the growth point, resulting in the formation large number side shoots and the plant blooms more profusely. At seedless method (southern regions Russia), seeds are sown in open ground at the end of March - beginning of April, since the seedlings can withstand frosts down to -5°C.
Seedlings are planted in a permanent place in mid-May at a distance of 20-25 cm. tall varieties supports must be installed. Remember that sweet peas can be grown in one place for only a year and returned to their original place only after 4-5 years. When planting seedlings, do not add fresh organic fertilizers(manure), since plants can die from fungal diseases.
Note that:
1. When grown in a greenhouse, sweet peas can reach a height of 4 m.
2. Low growing varieties They feel great even without support.
3. When grown on large areas The distance between rows should be 70 cm.
4. Sometimes sweet peas do not set seeds. The reason is a sharp difference in day and night temperatures.
The fragrant, clustered flowers of sweet peas 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 climate zones with proper preparation for the growing season. See Step 1 to learn how to grow these stunning flowers.
Steps
Part 1
Planting sweet peas with seeds- "Old-fashioned" sweet peas will produce very fragrant flowers.
- Spencer varieties have bright colors, but less aromatic. You will find them in pink, purple, blue, white and red.
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Determine 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 develop a strong root system and survive the summer. Therefore, starting to plant seeds at the beginning of the year is usually the best decision.
- If you live in temperate zone, where the ground doesn't freeze in the 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 throughout the winter and sweet peas will emerge in the spring.
- If you live in an area where winters are cold, plant the seeds indoors. This way, the seedlings will be ready for planting as soon as the first frost passes. If you wait too long to plant the seeds, they won't have time to take root in the soil until summer when the weather gets hot.
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Soak or cut the seeds. Sweet pea seeds have the best chance of germinating if you break the seed coat before planting. You can do this either by soaking them in a pan of water overnight, or using a tiny knife or nail scissors to cut the surface of each seed.
- If you soaked seeds, plant only those that swelled during the overnight soak. Discard those that have not changed in size.
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Sow the seeds in seed growing medium. 5 weeks before the last frost (usually mid-February or so), prepare small seed trays or peat containers with starting mixture for seeds. Sow the seeds 3 cm deep and 8 cm apart, or in separate compartments.
Keep them warm and moist. Water the seed trays and cover them lightly plastic film during the first week to regulate the temperature. Keep them in a greenhouse or sunny window in a room where the temperature does not fall below 20 ⁰C. Once the seedlings have sprouted, remove the film and keep them moist and warm until it is time to plant them just after the last frost.
- If you are using seed trays, thin out the seedlings to 14cm apart as soon as they sprout leaves.
- Pick flowers and buds before transplanting so that the seedlings' energy is directed into the new growing roots.
Part 2
Planting sweet peas-
Choose a sunny spot in your yard or garden. Sweet peas of all varieties grow well in sunny areas, making them an excellent choice for exposed areas of fences and walls. In the heat of summer, sweet peas grow well in partial shade, but it's best to find somewhere sunny on the safe side. Since sweet peas climb, find a place where they can grow towards the sky. It produces small tendrils that will cover any type of post if you plant it nearby.
- Sweet peas make great natural decorations for fences. If you have wooden fence or chain link fence that you want to decorate, plant sweet peas there.
- Sweet peas are often grown on trellises or arches. This is another great choice and will also give your garden a country cottage look.
- If you don't have suitable place for sweet peas, place some bamboo stakes in the garden and plant the sweet peas there. This will add some height and beauty to your garden. Alternatively, you can create a tower of posts in a pot or small gazebo.
- You can plant sweet peas among other plants such as shrubs or vegetables.
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Enrich the soil. Sweet peas grow best in fertile, well-drained soil. Prepare the soil for planting by tilling 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 put down extra compost to make sure the soil absorbs water well enough for the sweet pea roots.
- To determine whether the soil is draining well enough, monitor it after heavy rain. If water collects and puddles take a long time to dry out, the soil there is not well-drained. If the water is absorbed immediately, it is good for the seedlings.
- Using raised beds - 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.
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Plant sweet peas in early spring. Whether you will be planting seeds inside and transplanting seedlings, or you want to plant seeds directly into your garden bed, early spring it's time to do it. 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 6 inches apart and deep enough to plant the seedlings with their root ball in the ground. Lightly pat the fresh soil around the stems of the seedlings. For seeds that you plant directly into the ground, dig holes 3cm deep and 8cm apart. Once they have sprouted, you need to thin them out so that they are 6 inches apart so that each plant has enough room to grow.
Water the sweet peas. Finish by giving the plants a good dose of fresh water. Sweet peas will begin to grow quickly as soon as warm weather arrives.
Buy sweet pea seeds. Sweet peas are usually grown from seeds. You can either start it in seed trays indoors and later transplant it into a garden bed, or plant it directly outside. Seeds can be purchased at any garden store. Look for rare varieties in online stores.