Sweet Pea Plants
Great Tips for Growing those Gorgeous Sweet Pea Plants
Sweet pea plants make an enthralling statement in any garden with their exotic fragrance and their grace. The botanical name of this plant is Lathyrus odoratus. These climbers come in a wide range of colors and tend to grow six to nine feet in height. These vines also lend themselves to hanging baskets or other kinds of spillover planters such as wagons and large tubs. Interestingly the flowers can also be cut and taken indoors to be stand alone bouquets or pleasant additions to an elegant floral arrangement.
Sweet pea plants do well in slightly cool temperatures although they do grow is places where the temperature is warmer also. When planting them in the garden pick a place with plenty of sun. If you are growing the plant in a container, find a well-lit spot. You should remember that while the sweet pea plant needs plenty of sun, it cannot handle overly dry climate or soil. It also needs a place that is sheltered from the wind. Tough breeds are known to handle a mild frost although it is best to protect them from cold temperatures and stormy conditions.
This plant does well in rich organic soil and whether you are planting it in the ground or in a pot make sure it is well drained. Sweet pea plants should not be over-watered but they do need plenty of water during the blooming season.
The ideal way to grow sweet pea plants is from seed. You should soak the seeds in water overnight and then place them in holes that are one inch in depth and 3-4 inches apart in terms of width. Soak the soil with water right after planting and then do not water until you see signs of germination. Once you see the seedlings, you can start watering on a regular basis. Alternately, you can also sprout the seeds in a shallow plate or tray and then transplant the sprouts. When you spout these plant seeds indoors, bring them out at the first sign of the sprouts because experts consider fresh air and sunlight an important part of what will help them grow to be robust and vigorous sweet pea plants. The mature plant needs about one inch of water a week as a minimum and in hot summers you have to provide enough to make sure the plant does not become overly dry.
Remember that sweet pea plants are climbers and provide support as the plant grows in height. You can place it along a fence or introduce a trellis or arbor and add to the charm of your garden. You can allow your container plants to train along the porch railing or give it some kind of temporary support also to handle the vine.
Sweet pea plants are annuals and they can have flowers that are pink, mauve, red, blue or white in color. The plant generally blooms anywhere from late spring to mid-summer depending on the variety you choose. The good news for those who love these flowers in vases is that the more you pick the more you get. Sweet pea plants produce more blooms the more you pluck the flowers. You can also help the plant grow to be more bushy and dense if you pinch the tips of the plant after it reaches a height of 4-6 inches.
Fertilize the plant only after the first blooming period and from then on fertilize during the middle of the flowering season. You can try fish food, manure tea and other organic materials as fertilizers for sweet pea plants. As these plants are heavy feeders you may have to fertilize more than once in the blooming season. Over-fertilizing can be hazardous as it can lead to a lesser number of flowers and also darker leaves than normal.
The plant is vulnerable to slugs and snails and it is when you have sweet pea as seedlings that you have to be particularly watchful for snails. The other problem with these plants is that the seeds and all other parts of the plant are toxic and should not be ingested.
By choosing good quality seeds, you can easily have a garden filled with the sweet smell of sweet pea plants.