How to Grow Sweet Pea Plants

The sweet pea plant (Lathyrus odoratus) is a climbing annual with delicate, colorful flowers that appear in late spring and last well into summer. Some sweet pea varieties are also very fragrant. This flower does best when planted in a sunny location that receives afternoon shade, especially in regions with very hot summer weather. They prefer rich soil and require frequent watering during dry conditions. Sweet pea seeds germinate well when soil temperatures range from 55 to 65 degrees F.

Garden fork
Manure
Container
Pruning shears
Slug baits

Instructions

- 1
  Loosen the soil in the planting location to a depth of 1 foot. Amend with 3 to 4 inches of manure.
- 2
  Place the sweet pea seeds in a container filled with water and allow them to remain there for 24 hours.
- 3
  Plant the sweet pea seeds 2 inches deep and water until the soil feels moist.
- 4
  Add moisture whenever the top of the soil looks dry. After the seedlings have emerged, water anytime the top 1/2 inch of soil no longer sticks to your finger.
- 5
  Pinch off the tips of the plants when they are 5 inches tall to encourage abundant stem growth. Arrange the sweet pea tendrils around the structure you would like them to climb as soon as they are tall enough to reach it.
- 6
  Clip off the faded flowers regularly to promote a longer blooming cycle.
- 7
  Place slug baits around the plants because these pests can quickly defoliate sweet peas.

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