Sweet pea - perennial plant that can please the eye for a long time, unassuming in planting and care. Various varieties of sweet peas will play with bright colors of all colors of the rainbow.
Sweet peas in the garden will smell and decorate it before strong frosts. If you have unattractive areas of a hedge, then the peas will help to quickly close this gap.
Looks great when decorating houses, gazebos, green corridors. Plant a plant and achieve results is not so difficult. Polka dots are not at all whimsical to the climate, but there are some points to which you should pay attention, about them below in the article.
Planting sweet peas on seedlings
Like many other plants cultivated in front gardens, sweet peas are also it is better to plant seedlings. To get started, get seeds of plants that you like.
Landing time plays an important role. When choosing a time for planting seeds for seedlings, the climate in which you live plays a role.
If the soil in your region does not freeze through, you can plant the seeds immediately in the ground. A harsh winter can ruin young shoots, so the seedling method is used. Planting pea seedlings requires a bit of attention and patience.
When to plant seed for seedlings
One of the important points when planting seeds of sweet peas for seedlings is to choose the time. As a rule, almost all varieties are planted at the very beginning of the year. This is due to the fact that the seeds must be hardened with proper temperature and care. The peas planted in January by the spring will harden in the roots and will be able to survive the hot summer.
Important! In no case do not tighten the planting of seedlings. If you plant late peas, its roots will not form, and in the front garden it will just wither.
How to prepare the seeds before planting
Before planting, pea seeds should be properly to prepare. First you need to immerse them in hot water and leave overnight. We recommend using only those seeds that swelled after soaking overnight, and not sow those that surfaced in the morning.
You can not soak the seeds, and achieve good germination in another, more complex way. You need to carefully cut a small part of the seed. For this class, use nail forceps or a small stationery knife. When planting sweet peas, can suggest the recommendations on the package.
Soil for growing seedlings
After buying and preparing the seeds, it is necessary to prepare the soil for their growth. For the preparation of special soil take turfy ground, peat and sand. Make the mixture in such proportions: one kilogram of peat and a pound of sand are necessary for two kilograms of land. Mix everything thoroughly and you can scatter the soil in pre-prepared containers. If you do not want to bother with the preparation, you can buy the starting mix for planting in the nearest garden shop.
Did you know? Sweet pea has more than a thousand varieties.
Sowing depth and pattern
Having prepared the soil, it is worthwhile to proceed directly to the landing. For planting, you can use a variety of containers. This can be either an oblong wooden box or individual pots or even plastic cups. When planting in containers, follow some guidelines. 
Plant seeds no deeper than three centimeters, no closer than 10 cm apart. After planting peas, pour plenty of soil, cover it with foil and place it in a sunny place. Thanks to the film forms a kind of greenhouse, with which you can control the temperature. And he will help longer retain moisture in the soil.
How to care for seedlings
Now you are at the finish line before planting sweet peas in the garden. It remains only to care for seedlings before the onset of spring. Do not forget that the seed tray must be constantly wet and warm. About a week after planting, the first shoots begin to appear. After that, you can remove the film.
Keep containers of peas in warm places and do not deprive them of sunlight. For sweet peas in this period, it is important not to lower the temperature below 20 degrees. When active growth begins, thinning should be carried out so that a distance of about 15 cm remains between the seedlings.
Shortly before planting, if the plant begins to bloom, it is neatly remove the flower and bud. This is done so that the peas direct all their strength to the growth of the root. Planted in open ground in mid-May, when the risk of night frost passes. Do not forget that until the landing in the open ground it is necessary to maintain soil moisture and optimum temperature.
Important! At the previous place it is recommended to plant peas only after five years.
Planting seedlings in open ground
When, finally, the warm time has come, it is time to think about how and where to plant sweet peas. The middle or the end of May is the most optimal time for planting sweet peas. You should know that the plant loves sunlight, and it is recommended to plant it on open areas for the sun. Can peas quietly exist in light penumbra.
Despite his love for the sun, sweet peas do not tolerate heat, and you need to worry about his shelter on such days. The soil for a plant needs to be dug up and enriched with compost or humus. If the soil is heavy and clay, take care in advance of good drainage, as the peas do not like stagnant moisture in the soil.
Plant the plant at least 15 cm apart. For each sprout, make a deep hole, so that the roots can settle down and not interfere with each other in growth. After planting, water seedlings well.
Important! Do not fertilize the soil with fresh manure, this can lead to various plant diseases.
Features care for sweet peas
Caring for sweet peas is not difficult. Timely watering, fertilizing and a variety of supports for the plant - these are the basic rules for the beauty of your garden. If you want the flower to be saturated with colors, then feed it about once a month.
For better growth, remove wilted buds. Also practiced regular pruning of the plant. This will promote faster growth and make the plant stronger. As required add various support for high growth.
How to conduct watering
Sweet peas are not very whimsical to watering. In the rainy season, it will feel very good. At normal summer temperatures, water the plant should be once a day. Carefully monitor the state of the soil in which the peas are growing. Do not allow it to dry out, but avoid stagnant water. Do not forget about regular watering in the first month after planting, when the roots begin to adapt to the new soil.
Weeding and loosening the soil
To weed and loosen the land on which sweet peas are growing, you need to be very careful. A slight exposure of the roots can lead to wilting of the whole plant. If you do not want to use hoe, wait until it rains. On damp ground, removing weeds will be much easier.
Periodically, the soil needs to be loosened, as the roots need a good flow of fresh air. Sometimes for planting on heavy soils use oversized row method. You can also mumble the soil slightly. This will help you to stop the growth of weeds and retain moisture in the soil during the dry season.
What to spend feeding
Use a dressing for sweet peas can be twice a month. To grow adventitious roots, you can pour a small layer of substrate on the base of the stem of the plant.
It is not necessary to feed the peas, but if you want to achieve maximum growth, flavor and color, you can feed it with organic fertilizers.
It is necessary to use a variety of composts or fertilizers with a high content of potassium.
Important! Do not apply nitrogen fertilizers to the soil for sweet peas. He scoops this mineral from the atmosphere.
Support for creepers
As soon as the antennae begin to form on the plant, you can put supports for the direction of growth. You can use plastic bars or columns. Great for these purposes twine. Antennae cling well to it and crawl up actively. It is recommended to set up supports immediately after landing and when the antennae appear, carefully attach them to the support. Excellent serve as supports for sweet peas fences, gazebos, walls of houses and other elements of the yard.
Pruning inflorescences
Pay special attention to pruning inflorescences. Cutting off the fruit, you not only make life easier for the plant, but also prolong the flowering of peas until frost. Try to do this pruning regularly. But remove the flowers only after they are fully ripe. Also remove the flowers that have faded, giving place to new sprouts.
Did you know? Flowers of sweet peas found during excavations of the ancient city of Troy.
Collection and storage of sweet pea seeds
In order to collect the seeds of sweet peas, do not cut a few flowering pods. When the pods start to dry, they will turn yellowish. Then you can collect flowers for future use. Take a closer look at this point: if you overdo the beans, they will turn brown and very fragile. At the slightest touch, the seed will crumble.
The collected seeds can be put in a fabric bag and hung in the shade to dry. You can also scatter on shelves in a dry dark place. The color content of these seeds can reach six years. If you like the variety you have grown, then go responsibly to seed collection. During the rainy season, the ovary will wilt, and it will be impossible to gather the fruits.
Pest and disease control measures
Sweet peas are not particularly susceptible to pests and diseases. The plant can occasionally be affected by powdery mildew or blackleg. Some types of aphids or spider mites can also cause inconvenience. To prevent ailments during the period before flowering, treat the plant with Topaz. This will be a good preventive measure. You can use the same drug on already diseased plants. 
But for the prevention and disposal of pests, you can use the infusion of medicinal dandelion. Treat the peas before flowering, and if pests appear, repeat spraying after two weeks.
Cultivation of sweet peas is not so difficult, just follow the recommendations, and you will be able to rejoice and inhale the scent of flowers until the deepest autumn.
