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Sweet Peas are not for those who want a tidy little plant. But if you have an unsightly fence that needs to be covered, Sweet Peas should be your top pick. Growing through a chain link fence is most ideal, or any open support such as an arbour or trellis. If you want to grow Sweet Peas up a wooden fence, you will want to put a few rust free nails into the boards and then string twine between the nails. The results will be impressive. The robust growing vines will quickly cover the fence, providing foliage, fragrance and bloom all summer long. Sweet Peas are annual flowers that will need to be planted anew every year. They are a cinch to start from seed. Sow them directly outdoors in cool soil as soon as the ground is workable. There is no need to wait for frost free weather to plant Sweet Peas. It is probably a good idea so soak the seeds overnight before planting outdoors. Space the seeds about 5 or 6 inches apart. For best flower production, plant Sweet Peas in full sun. Soil should be workable and rich with organic matter. They do not like waterlogged soil. Like most summer flowers, Sweet Peas are heavy feeders, so they will benefit from periodic feeding throughout the summer. Use Plant Prod 20-20-20 or Miracle Grow. Once the plants are established you can supplement the feeding with a careful application of balanced granular fertilizer such as rose food or 7-7-7. For a stunning show of flower and foliage, plant a few Sweet Pea seeds in a large tub or half barrel planter. Put a tomato cage or chicken wire frame in the centre of the container and stand back. Within weeks, you will have a robust mound of twining greenery dappled with showy flowers in shades of white, pink or red. Sweet Peas make wonderful cut flowers. Their impact indoors is greater than outdoors because the blooms and stems you cut off to put in a vase don’t interfere with vigorous foliage. And the more blooms you cut off for indoor enjoyment, the more the plant is compelled to bloom. Sweet Peas are widely available in many colours. The popular Royal series (Royal White, Royal Scarlet, and Royal Pink) are dependable performers growing 2 meters in height or length. The Bijou series is a new collection of bush growing Sweet Peas growing only 18 inches high, requiring no support. In terms of colour selection, if you are doing a mass planting of Sweet Peas, you may want to stick with a single solid colour for a stunning effect. But as for me, I prefer a mixed collection to remind me of the chicken coop days. |
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