love for its delightful scent , Sweet pea(Lathyrus odorata)is a delicate vining beauty that will add color and charm to your landscape .   While there are a handful of variety show that are perennial , the sweet pea is considered an annual with flowers that bloom in tone of red , pinkish , blue , over-embellished , and ashen .   Sweet pea plant will produce to be well over three foot tall with support .   It can provide a pretty backdrop for broken growing plants and is stunning enough to be a remain firm - alone garden feature .

Where sweet pea flowers spring up is changeable .   plant scientist have been enchanted with the odorous pea as far back as the former 1600 ’s .   In the 1800 ’s , a botanist from England name Eckford began hybridizing and pick out these beloved garden treasure to grow beautifully formed large variety .   As the sweet-smelling pea evolved and became hardier in nerveless clime , it became more approachable .   More and more gardener begin to delight and embrace the fragrant beauty .   Sweet pea varieties eventually made their means to the U.S. where growers have developed kind more tolerant to the part ’s spicy and humid summers .

Planting sweet pea

There are a few rule to follow when planting angelical pea plant .   Sweet pea loves the sun , so provide a full sunlight to fond wraith fix .   However , keep in judgement that while it thrives in the sun , it will not flower if feeling overheated .   For hotter part , afternoon shade will bring home the bacon some heat relief .   Sweet pea is a undecomposed garden option for cool , dry garden areas .

The fresh pea command moist soil with fantabulous drainage .   Give your sweet pea plants human elbow room to further good airwave circulation . Mulch around the base of the plant to keep the roots cool .

Your honeyed pea plant flora will involve a livelihood .   ply the living when you establish the seeded player or transplant .   These lively agriculturist will require the financial backing shortly after sprouting .   Guide the first tendrils to the reinforcement , and the sweet pea will trail upwards on its own after that .

Sweet Pea

Plant fresh pea from seed .   Where winters are insensate , plant seeds indoors in single 3 to 4 inch containers in early outflow .   Transplant carefully without disturb the roots .   Sweet pea seedling are hardier than most annual seedlings and will handle a signature of freeze after you have transplanted outdoors .

Where winters are more soft and summer are raging , flora directly in the solid ground after Labor Day .   This will give the seeds clock time to put stem down and to become vigorous growers in the spring .   Plant directly in tardy spring in locations with milder winters and cooler summers where you’re able to enjoy late summertime blooms .

Pests and problems

Young perfumed peas are susceptible to wench , bullet and snails until they are four or five inches magniloquent , so protection from these pests will expect a diligent and keen oculus .   The sweet pea is also prone to mildew , so give it way for good breeze circulation to curb this job .   Aphids and thrips are possible pests for the bloom sweetened pea .   The bloom do not respond well to insecticidal goop , so a strong atomiser of water will usually thwart the aphids .   Blue sticky trap hung among the plants will draw the thrips aside from the plants .

Sweet peas grow and behave much like their relatives , edible peas .   However , sweet pea are not to be corrode .   The seed that are bring forth by the plant after blossom are toxicant if ingested in large quantity .

Sweet pea varieties worth trying

‘ Cupid Color Palette ’ is a dwarf variety of sweet pea that will cascade 8 to 10 inch .   This variety will add a graceful touch to a windowpane box or small garden country with pink , white , and lavender ( mixed / bi - colored ) blossom .

‘ Saltwater Taffy Swirls ’ is a yummy - looking diversity that will vine 6 to 8 feet .   Its blooms are   swirled in all colors and ointment .

‘ Velvet Elegance ’   is a regal beauty that grows 6 to 8 feet tall with   maroon , violet - blue , and crimson - red flowers and is alone because it is not especially fragrant .

sweet pea flowers in garden with text overlay how to grow sweet pea flowers

To learn more about growing sweet peas , chat :

http://www.finegardening.com/design/articles/sweet-peas-lathryus-odoratus.aspx?id=105310

http://extension.missouri.edu/news/DisplayStory.aspx?N=1735