Sweet peas from seeds when to plant. Ideal Plant: We grow sweet peas. Group "Pink Cupid"

What kind of flower helenium, as well as where exactly such a name came from, can be found below. This article will talk about this perennial gelenium, its planting and care. You will also learn what varieties there are and how to grow them from seeds. Photos will be presented below.

Gelenium culture (from the Latin Helenium), serves as a family of annuals and perennials of the Compositae division, which is fraught with 32 subspecies. Similar plants grow in Central and North America, especially in the Western United States. It is generally accepted that the culture was able to get the name in honor of the wife of Tsar Menelaus, the beautiful Helen, because of which the war between Greece and Troy, described by Homer in the Iliad, began. What is remarkable about this plant? Initially, it was their own inconspicuousness. With the onset of summer, the saturation of colors in the garden begins to fade, but you can find that a modest plant stands aside, which you could not notice until yesterday. On this day, he, along with his golden baskets, which can change their own color, begins to delight your eyes with a not very elegant, but lukewarm, calm and cozy disposition.

A culture that has been growing for many years has the following zest - its root system dies by winter cold along with peduncles, but from the buds that grow under the ground of a stalk that lives one year, a leaf rosette with roots appears by this period of time, which can give a new peduncle next year.

What many consider a gelenium shrub, in truth, are closely growing independent crops with straight, branched stems at the top, which can be up to 1.5 m high.

In this gelenium, the leaves are represented by lanceolate, alternate. Baskets are single or collected in corymbose inflorescences, consisting of marginal reed flowers. The latter are orange, brown, yellow, red and purple, centrally tubular have a yellow or brown color. The fruit is a pubescent achene, which has an oblong and cylindrical shape.

How to grow crops from seeds

The presence of freshly harvested seeds of this crop, without starting a topic already for stale seeds, has low germination. However, if you have a desire to experiment with seed propagation of a flower, you can safely try, and we will try to help by telling you how to do it. It will not be superfluous to note that the plant is perfectly able to reproduce using the vegetative method - that is, when the bush is divided, as well as leaf rosettes.

Sow the seeds themselves should be in the autumn period of time, directly into the soil, or in the spring - in boxes for seedlings. However, when planting in the spring, seed stratification is necessary: a container with seeds sown on top of the soil is wrapped in a plastic bag and placed in the refrigerator, in the vegetable section, forgetting about it for about one or one and a half months. When the deadlines are already coming to an end, they can be taken out of the refrigerator and put in a warm place under artificial lighting.

The temperature regime, in order for the growth process to be, should be about 18-22 degrees Celsius. After the seedlings begin to develop 2-3 true leaves, they will begin to dive.

How a plant is planted

In this section, we will learn when to plant a crop. planting a flower on open ground it is necessary to produce at a time when there will be no night frosts, approximately, this is the month of May or the beginning of June. A plot of soil should be chosen as a sunny type, although such a culture can also grow in a shady zone. It is desirable that the soil be light, but nutritious, contain a neutral reaction and well-drained. Before planting, it would be good to dig up the earth, adding compost to the distance of the shovel bayonet.

How is the planting of gelenium. A hole for seedlings must be made a couple of times larger than the root ball. Even before you start lowering the flower into the pit, its roots need to be lowered a little into the water so that they can absorb moisture, and then plant the seedlings at the same depth at which it grew in the container. It should be planted so that between the flowers there is about 30 cm of distance, and between rows of at least 35 centimeters. Following planting, it is necessary to mulch a piece of land with peat or humus.

A plant that is grown by seedlings from seeds will begin to bloom only in the second year. Also, it would not be superfluous to recall that in order to propagate the species gelenium, the seed method is suitable, and in order to propagate a varietal plant, it is necessary to use the vegetative method, since during seed propagation, the species characteristics of the parents will not be saved.

How to care for gelenium

How to grow a flower. Landing and caring for a gelenium is not so difficult if you know its features. But the main difference between culture is that it does not like dry soil, based on this, the most important moment in caring for a plant is its watering. After the onset of hot dry days, it is necessary to water the gelenium quite often and not sparing water. However, the culture does not like too much wet earth, based on which, we can conclude that the soil must have good water permeability. Having a shallow loosening of the earth, along with weeding, should be included in the required action to care for the plant, although mulching the area of the earth makes it much easier to fight weeds. If we talk about nutrition itself, then in one summer, feeding a flower using mineral and organic fertilizers, runs about three times.

The debut is in May. It is necessary to dilute in 10 liters according to art. spoonful of urea, potassium sulfate and organic fertilizer Effecton. Everything should be calculated in such a way that 3-4 liters of such a mixture are required per 1 m (2).

The second feeding takes place during flowering. It is required to dilute a liter of liquid mullein and according to Art. a spoonful of liquid Agricola-7 and Agricola-Fantasy in 10 liters of water, taking into account the fact that about 2-3 liters of solution will go per 1 square meter.

The last meal will take place during the October period. You need one tablespoon of superphosphate, as well as potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water, at a consumption of 5 liters per 1 square meter.

To optimize the bud emergence process, it is initially required to spray the crop with Bud Growth Regulator. For 10 liters of water, you need to dilute 10 grams of the drug.

If there is a desire, so that the flowering of the plant is lush, it will be necessary to remove wilted flowers in time. It will be possible to increase the branching and density of the bush by plucking the tops of the shoots. Cultivation means planting 2-3-year-old flowers, combining transplantation with propagation of the culture by dividing the plant. Produce this procedure better during spring.

If you monitor the water balance of the soil in a timely manner, then diseases will not threaten the plant.

Culture after flowering

How and when to collect plant seeds. If you need to collect the seeds of this crop, you need to have time to carry out this procedure before the long autumn rains, otherwise the seeds will begin to rot. The presence of darkened reed flowers and blackened tubular ones will tell you that the seeds are already mature. However, it is logical to conclude that it is best to purchase plant seeds from specialized stores, since those that you collect yourself may not sprout at all, no matter how hard you try, and if they sprout, you cannot guarantee that you will end up with what you have sown. Therefore, you should not waste your precious labors in vain, but it is better to use vegetative methods of crop propagation.

Gelenium in winter. During winter, the stems of the crop should be cut almost to the surface of the ground, leaving only 10-15 centimeters of stems. Following pruning, the area is mulched with moss or sawdust and covered with lutrasil if there are severe frosts or winter without snow.

Availability of varieties and varieties of crops

There are more than 30 varieties of the crop, but only 5 can be grown. Below, a brief description of the most famous varieties will be presented.

Helenium Bigelow. This is the most uncommon variety in vegetation, the genus of which is the West of North America. It has straight stems that can reach up to 80 centimeters. There are the presence of lanceolate leaves, whole, inflorescences up to 6 centimeters in diameter, tubular (median) flowers of brown color and reed - yellow. Flowering occurs in the summer months (June-July).

Helenium spring. It has stems that are straight, which can reach one meter in height. It has the presence of whole leaves, lanceolate, inflorescences up to 7 centimeters in diameter, reed flowers of orange color, as well as tubular with brown. Flowering continues for one month, which begins in mid-May.

Helenium Gupes is up to 90 centimeters in height. It has the presence of whole lanceolate leaves with a grayish-green tint, long peduncles, single yellow inflorescences, which can reach 8-9 centimeters in diameter. Flowering begins in the summer months (June-July).

Helenium autumn is the most popular type of plant, which has received great popularity in culture and has become the most basic for breeding. a large number varieties. The stems are tall, reaching 160 centimeters in height, strong and woody. The plant has small foliage with jagged edges, baskets, which reach from 3 to 5 centimeters in diameter and gather in corymbose inflorescences up to 30 centimeters transversely. The presence of reed flowers is represented by a yellow or reddish color, and the tubular ones have a dark yellowish color. Flowering begins from July to September, and lasts a couple of months.

Helenium hybrid. This is a composite sample, in which there are species of indeterminate occurrence, although the autumn gelenium mentioned above is considered to be the initial sample of all varieties of this sample.

The most desirable varieties in culture are:

Helenium Rubinzwerg, which is a very well-known variety of a dense bush, whose height is about 65 centimeters and which has ruby \u200b\u200bcolored baskets. This variety begins to bloom from the end of July. Rarely can it be confused with the look of Rosie Jam;
The cockade, which reaches a height of 120 centimeters, and the baskets are 4.5 centimeters in diameter. There is also the presence of reed flowers of a red-brown hue, the edges of which have yellow, however closer to the center, the redness becomes clearer. Tubular flowers are yellow-brown in color. Flowering begins in August and lasts about 1.5 months;
Moerheim Beauty. This is one of the most popular types. It differs in that when it blooms, its flowers have different shades, where there is the presence of red, yellow, golden, copper color. However, at the moment of opening, they turn into red-brown. In height, the bush reaches about 90-120 centimeters. Its flowering begins in the summer month of July and ends in November.

Wonderful gelenium flowers throughout the autumn will remind you of the outgoing summer. At the same time, they will help to make the landscape design of the suburban area even more attractive.

general description

Gelenium is a perennial. Flowering occurs from July to October. In length, the plant reaches 70-150 centimeters. Depending on the variety, the color of the petals can be:

orange;
red;
yellow;
brown red.

Chamomile inflorescence. The middle is convex. The edges of the petals are curly.

The plant is native to Central and North America. Helenium does not have a perennial rhizome. Flowering stems to winter period die off. Rosettes with leaves appear on the underground part of the annual stem at this time. The following year, a flowering stem emerges from it. Thus, the bush as such is absent, there are only many united independent plants.

The stems reach a height of 160 cm, straight, branching at the top. The leaves are lanceolate, arranged in the next order. Achenes are slightly pubescent, oblong-cylindrical. Inflorescences are baskets.

Varietal diversity

In July, one of the most popular varieties of gelenium blooms - Moerheim Beauty. It has an unusual bronze-red color of flowers. In height, the gelenium of the presented species reaches 90 cm.

At the end of summer, you can enjoy the flowering of varieties such as:

BaudirektorLinne, red-brown flowers (plant height - 130 cm);
"Waltraud" yellow-brown flowers (plant height - 80 cm);
Koenigstiger, yellow flowers with a red border (plant height - 120 cm);
"Magnificum" reaches a height of 80 cm, undersized variety, yellow center.

In autumn, varieties such as 'Sonnenwunder' and 'Septembergold' bloom. The first variety is distinguished by amazingly beautiful orange flowers, in the second variety the flowers have a yellow color.

Photo gallery

Use in the suburban area

Gelenium blooms in August, but it acquires brightness in the autumn. The plant looks great in group plantings.

Planting gelenium should take place on a slightly moist, rich nutrients priming. If the soil is heavy, you will need to add compost and sand.

The best option placing flowers on the site - near the fence. There they are reliably protected from precipitation and look very attractive. Often gelenium covers ugly outbuildings.

You can also plant a flower near ornamental shrubs, singly or in groups, in the background of flower beds. The plant goes well with asters, which bloom in autumn. Geleniums look very good in bouquets.

Gelenium: description and care (video)

Important! Flowers should be cut only after they have blossomed, otherwise they will not open in the water.

Combination with other plants

You can use gelenium in combination with perennials in a flower bed. At the same time, it should be located in the middle or in the foreground of the flower garden. Having chosen the presented option, make sure that other plants do not interfere with the growth of the gelenium. The plant looks great against the backdrop of cascading flower beds. The best neighbors for him will be:

stonecrop;
delphiniums;
rudbeckia;
asters;
white phlox.

It looks interesting gelenium with geyher, marigolds, saplings, goldenrod, garden yarrow.

Another option is to plant near a pond or pond.

Gelenium can be used both in combination with plants that are in the same color scheme(figelius capa, marigolds, goldenrod), and with white flowers.

Landing and care

The soil is prepared in the spring. It is dug up to a depth of 30 cm and compost is added. The seedlings are removed from the pots and placed in water for 5 minutes, it is important that the roots absorb moisture. The pit should be 2 times larger than the root ball. It is not necessary to deepen the gelenium strongly, the same depth as in the pot is enough.
In dry weather, plants need watering. Preference should be given to drip irrigation.
Gelenium, the landing of which is not difficult, has special requirements for care. It is important to remember how plants exist in nature. They require fertile and moist soils. Flowers make high demands on lighting. In partial shade, plants with red petals will not bloom, but you can try to grow plants with yellow petals in such conditions. In dry times, watering is done 2 times a week.

It is worth noting that geleniums feel great in flower beds with a dense planting. In the foreground, you can place undersized species, in the background - tall ones. Solitaires look great against the background of the lawn. However, the plants require additional care in the form of timely watering.
Flowers will be grateful for the introduction of mineral dressings, a couple of times per season is enough. After three years, a transplant is carried out - the bushes age quickly. However, it is recommended to carry it out in the autumn.
When growing gelenium, you need to know that even with proper care the bush may not survive the winter. In snowless and frosty winters, flowers freeze quickly. It was noted that in this case, the condition of plants created using other varieties, for example, "Bigelow", is worse.
For the winter, the soil near the plant is mulched with sawdust and moss. From above, shelter is made with lutrasil. It is recommended to prune for the winter.

The acquisition of seedlings should be done in the spring. In this case, the plants must be healthy.
To obtain sprawling bushes in the spring, pinch off the tops of the shoots.
The soil must be rich in nutrients.

Rejuvenation of the bushes is carried out in spring or autumn. To do this, the plant is dug up, then it is divided and planted again.

There are many different plants in the world that differ in their unique appearance, shade of inflorescences and other features. Many species are found only in the wild and cannot be grown at home, while the rest freely take root in the modified environment and do not require special care or handling. Among such plants is the perennial gelenium.

A beautiful and hardy flower belongs to the Astrov family, and the tropical regions of North and Central America are considered its homeland.

General information

Helenium looks like a lush shrub growing up to 160 centimeters in height. The bush itself consists of several independent shoots that grow separately, but are placed tightly. Today, botanists distinguish about 30 varieties and varieties of gelenium.

The stems of the gelenium flower have a branching structure, small thickness and decent height. The size of the sharp leaves is small, and near them are tiny inflorescences in the form of baskets. As for the flowers themselves, they are somewhat similar to daisies. The color is represented by pale yellow, dark red and brownish tones and is determined by varietal characteristics. The main advantage of gelenium is its good aroma and bright color.

It is known that helenium does not have a perennial root system, and all roots begin to die off in late autumn, along with flower stalks and green stems. In the underground part, a characteristic leaf rosette with a rhizome is created, from which a new flower will soon form.

Helenium autumn and other plant varieties

Despite the wide variety of cultivated varieties, only 5 species are very popular. However, each of them consists of a multiple grandeur of hybrids and breeding specimens.

Consider most popular perennial varieties, which are grown in open ground:

In addition, gardeners often grow on their plots view helenium autumn, which is in demand due to its unpretentious nature and good growth rate. Thin stems 160 centimeters long, have small leaves with characteristic teeth along the edges. Inflorescences resemble peculiar baskets, which contain flowers with yellow or red petals. Flowering begins in July and lasts until September. Seed ripening begins in October. The photos available on the Web help to see what such an exotic resident looks like during the flowering period.

Gelenium: planting and care in the open field

There are several ways to plant a perennial shrub. If we consider the method of seed planting, then it is not popular due to the low percentage of germination. In addition, it can be difficult to find high-quality planting material. However, if you pay attention to a number of features of the upcoming event, then planting from seeds can be made successful. It is advisable to carry it out at the end of autumn. High percentage of germination when planting in a seed way in open ground seen in warm, southern regions. In mid-latitudes, it is better to plant seeds for seedlings.

In order for the germination process to be fast and efficient, the seeds are amenable to preliminary stratification. In this case, it is important to mix the planting material with wet sawdust and place it in the refrigerator for a period of 2-3 weeks. Then the seeds are planted on seedlings. This action is best done at the end of February. It is important to understand that flowering will begin only after 2-3 years, and not earlier.

Choosing soil composition, give preference to land with a high content of peat. It must first be moistened, and the seeds should be sown superficially, without deepening. The landing container should be covered with glass and moved to a place with good lighting. From time to time it is aired and sprayed with water. When two true leaves appear, the seedlings can dive into separate containers, guided by some rules.

Features of planting gelenium in open ground

Planting grown seedlings that were planted for seedlings, can start in late spring. Preference should be given to well-lit areas where the soil composition is characterized by neutral acidity and a high content of nutrients.

In shaded conditions, only varieties with yellow inflorescences grow well. Low-growing seedlings are recommended to be placed at a distance of 35 centimeters from each other, and tall ones 70-75 centimeters.

Before planting seedlings in open ground, the earth must be carefully dug up and fed with organic fertilizers. In their quality, you can use humus or compost. If the soil composition is too heavy, you can mix it with sand. Then you should carefully remove the plant from the container, lowering the roots into the water for a few minutes. The next stage involves the landing of planting material on permanent place. It is important to carefully mulch the ground with peat, observing the correct concentration. Despite the unpretentious nature, the autumn gelenium flower requires comfortable lighting, temperature regime and humidity.

Helenium autumn: features of caring for a perennial flower in the open field

If you look at the photo of the autumn gelenium, it is easy to guess that such a plant looks really very beautiful and elegant. At the same time, there are no special difficulties in caring for such a flower at home, therefore growing it yourself is easy enough. The main thing is to take into account a few basic tips and stick to the established rules.

Proper care of shrubs in the open field consists of watering, fertilizing, weeding and loosening the soil. It is known that gelenium is a moisture-loving representative of tropical flora, so it is better to water it at least twice a week. During dry and hot weather, the intensity of the procedure is increased to once a day. At the same time, each watering should be accompanied by loosening the soil. At this stage, you need to be especially careful and try not to damage the rhizome. When grown in acidic soil, it must be limed before planting.

So that the end result meets all expectations, and the planted flower is lush and beautiful, gelenium is fed to the forming pruning. Here it is enough to cut a few side shoots in mid-June. At the same time, in the spring, you need to pinch the tops of the gelenium. In addition, every three years the bushes are divided and seated separately, otherwise the rate of their aging will increase significantly. Concerning tall varieties, then they require garters to different supports.

Features of fertilizer and top dressing

It is necessary to feed a perennial plant with all kinds of fertilizers in May. For the procedure, use the following solution:

1 tablespoon of urea;
1 tablespoon of potassium sulfate;
1 tablespoon of finished fertilizer "Effekton;
A bucket of water;

About four liters of such a solution should be poured per square meter of the territory.

Re-feeding can be carried out during the flowering period. Here, a solution based on slurry, a tablespoon of Agricola-Fantasy top dressing and the same amount of Agricola-7, diluted with a bucket of water, performs well here.

Third top dressing will be a useful action after flowering is completed, in early October. When choosing a fertilizer, it is better to give preference to preparations based on superphosphate and potassium sulfate. During the period of tying buds, foliar top dressing is excellent, which is carried out with the help of growth stimulants available in specialized stores. With the correct implementation of such an event, the flower can become truly magnificent, beautiful and unique.

Pests and diseases of gelenium

Unpretentious nature and strong immunity allows gelenium to withstand many misfortunes and diseases. However, some of them are still a great danger to him. For example, you can take chrysanthemum nematode, the vital activity of which is accompanied by damage to the leaves and flower buds. You need to deal with such a problem quickly and radically, cutting off and burning the affected areas. Preventive measures include adding a small amount slaked lime into the soil composition. If we are talking about the prevention of fungal diseases, it is enough to provide the flower with competent watering and not overdo it with moisture.

In the form of bouquets, the gelenium flower looks very elegant.. This is confirmed by the numerous photos that are offered on the Internet. The combination of gelenium with asters and chrysanthemums looks very beautiful. However cut suitable plant possible only after the final opening of the buds. If the procedure was carried out too early, the flowers may not be able to bloom in the water.

Some varieties are in good contact with:

purple asters,
delphinium,
dahlias,
stonecrop.

When grown outdoors, it is advisable to plant a plant with marigolds, goldenrod, phlox and garden yarrow. Also perennial flower goes well with white flowers.

When designing landscape design in the garden, gelenium can become worthy decoration for ponds, fences or outbuildings. With its help, many gardeners effectively hide any defects in the relief or characteristic irregularities. Often, several varieties of plants are planted in the same area at once, which differ in flowering time and beauty. In this case, it will be possible to admire the excellent green "friend" for a very long time, from spring to late autumn.

When the flower stalks finally fade, they can be removed, and then suitable planting material can be removed from the seed pods. If you want to grow some unique variety, it is not recommended to use the seed technique. In addition, such an action requires some skills and difficulties.

Seed collection is best done before the start of prolonged autumn rains. so that they don't rot. The first sign of final ripening is presented in the form of the appearance of a blackened center of the flower and dark petals. The collected planting material is recommended to be placed in a cool dark place.

If you pay attention to such recommendations and follow the advice of professionals, your long-term gelenium will look even more beautiful than in the photo. It is important to understand that despite the hardy immunity and picky nature, an exotic plant requires proper care and attention. Considering such nuances, you will be satisfied with the end result.

Helenium plant

Growing from sweet pea seeds is perhaps one of the easiest. Even schoolchildren are recommended to plant it in botany lessons. However, it is often possible to make mistakes when growing this beautiful and pleasant-smelling plant, and not wait for flowering. Let's deal with the rules of his agricultural technology, go over the popular types and varieties, and focus on the use of sweet peas in landscape design.

Charming sweet pea: growing from seed

Peas were first heard in antiquity (Theophrastus), but real recognition began in the 19th century. Scottish breeder Henry Eckford began to develop new varieties, and very quickly unpretentious plant gained enviable popularity. The gardener was awarded the highest Royal award.

Bright sweet peas, or sweet peas (Lathyrus odomtus) are a magnificent decoration of the garden. This annual plant of the legume family is used for landscaping flower beds and terraces. Unusually shaped flowers and a variety of colors win the hearts of gardeners.

Description, types and varieties

The plant has a very developed root system, but it does not tolerate transplants well. The climbing stems cling well to the support with their tendrils, and the flowers can be compared to the wings of a moth. The flowering period of the annual is quite long.

Increasingly, you can meet this climbing plant when landscaping vertical terraces. Many types of peas reach a height of about 2 meters. Today, breeders have bred popular dwarf varieties that do not exceed 30 cm.

For landscaping walls, arbors, arches and balconies, tall varieties of sweet peas are used. The most suitable would be:

King Lavender;
Blue Danube;
Cream Gigantic;
Cremona;
Alice.

For cutting and bouquets, you can grow some varieties with a strong peduncle and large bright flowers. The flowering period of such plants is rather short, which makes it difficult for further reproduction of the flower.

Royal Wedding
Colin Unwin
Rosalind
Brian Clough

The most popular are low-growing varieties of sweet peas. Such plants can be used as a border, when creating a flower bed or as a pot specimen. Some of the common varieties:

Lady Dee;
Lucien;
Florida.

The collection of plants includes more than 1000 varieties of various colors. There are white, pink, red, purple and blue shades in the flowers.

Growing from seed

Location and soil

A place for planting an annual should be chosen protected from the winds, but sunny. Peas grow well in light partial shade. The soil for planting should be fertile and neutral in acidity. Before planting, compost and sand are added to dense soil, which increases its breathability. Fresh manure is not recommended. The flower grows poorly in areas with high groundwater and marshy soils.

When planting in the garden, sunny areas should be preferred, but peas are reconciled with light partial shade.

Planting and plant care

Sweet peas are quite unpretentious in their care, and growing this crop is not laborious, even a novice gardener can do it.

It is better to plant your favorite flower immediately in the garden, since the seedling method for the plant is not very acceptable. Young seedlings are very tender, and the tap root system does not tolerate transplants well. The most suitable method for planting is sowing seeds in the ground.

Pea seeds are very hard and need to be pre-soaked before sowing. To do this, just put them in a damp cloth for 1.5 hours to swell. Seeds prepared in this way in early spring sown in furrows to a depth of 2-3 cm. With proper care, the first flowering occurs at the end of July.

Sweet peas grow very quickly and need support. For long flowering, it is necessary to remove faded flowers in a timely manner and provide the plant with the necessary care. In dry and dry summers, it is necessary to maintain the level of soil moisture by regularly watering the annual. Watering and weeding is the main care for peas.

The flower responds well to top dressing, which must be carried out several times a season. For these purposes, it is better to use organic fertilizers, but nitrogen should not be used. This is due to the peculiarity of peas to absorb nitrogen from the air.

In the conditions of a short summer, a seedling method is used (without picking). Then peas are grown from seeds in peat-muck cups, and the grown plants are planted in the ground right in the cups - this significantly increases the flowering time of the plant. By the way, pinching the shoots at the moment when the plant has risen by 10-15 cm will also extend the growing season and the bush will become more magnificent, but the plant will bloom a week later.

Annual reproduction

To preserve the variety and further grow peas in your area, you need to collect seeds. To do this, choose the largest and healthiest specimens, on which flower stalks and pods are left for further seed formation. They retain their germination capacity for 8 years. Planting material should be stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator or in the cellar. Sometimes the plant does not set seeds or drops flower stalks, the reason for this may be a sharp temperature drop or insufficient watering.

Diseases and pests

Sweet peas are affected by pests and fungal diseases. The most frequent of them are:

powdery mildew;
gray mold;
root rot;
blackleg;
ascochitosis;
mosaic viruses.

Upon detection of the first signs of disease, the plant is immediately treated with biofungicides, and from powdery mildew farmiod or biosoda helps well. For the purpose of prevention, it is necessary to carry out preliminary treatments with drugs, and select only healthy seeds.

Great harm aphids and nodule weevil are applied to the plant. These pests infect the leaves of the plant, which inhibits the growth and development of the annual, spoils its decorative effect. You can get rid of pests by spraying the peas with a tobacco-garlic mixture. Slugs in the rainy season are also greedy for peas, as well as for all plants of the legume family.

sweet peas in landscape design

Sweet pea is a climbing plant that forms many tendrils, blooms for a long time and has a pleasant aroma. These properties make it possible to widely use the annual in the design of the garden and plot.

Tall climbing varieties well suited for decorating arches, verandas, fences. With the help of artificial supports and plantings of peas, unsightly areas of the garden can be masked. Looks great in the background of the flower garden.

Low varieties can be grown in balcony boxes, on the edge of a flower bed or border. Peas blend well with other annuals and nicely coexist with perennials. In the ecology of the garden, it brings tangible benefits - it enriches the soil with nitrogen, gives nectar to beneficial insects.

As you can see, if you provide this fragrant annual good drainage and timely watering, it will delight you with its flowering for a long time. Feel free to plant sweet peas in your area, growing from seeds is easy to do both in open ground and on balconies and terraces.

Sweet peas are an unpredictable flower for many gardeners, although following the rules of agricultural technology, we can say that this is not so. Such a beautiful ornamental and very fragrant plant is often grown for vertical gardening. It can be compared with a liana, the height of which reaches 2 meters, for dwarf varieties - 30 cm.

Sweet peas grow very quickly, unlike and different kind other climbing plants, which attracts attention.

This plant has a rich palette of colors. Flowering is long, about 3 months, begins in June and ends in autumn, closer to October, until the temperature drops below -5°C.

Sweet peas can be grown through seedlings and by sowing seeds.

Growing sweet peas from seedlings

In the third decade of March, the seeds are sown in peat-humus pots or plastic cups 2-3 pieces in each.

Before sowing, carry out preliminary preparation by soaking in hot water(40-60°C) for 12 hours, or scarify by rubbing with sandpaper or
scratched with a knife.
Fill pots with two-part potting mix sod land, peat, humus and one part of sand. Make holes 1.5-2 cm deep, lay the seeds, cover with soil and water well.
Keep the temperature at an average of 20°C until sprouts appear, then lower to 15°C for 2 weeks to develop the root system.
Set backlighting in cloudy weather and at night.

When 2-3 true leaves appear, pinch the top for greater bushiness and feed with Kemira's solution based on a bucket of water 2 g of the drug. Seedlings of sweet peas are planted in open ground in mid-May, at the age of 40 days, without fear of return spring frosts. Plant with an earthen clod, very carefully, traumatizing the root system of sweet peas will have an extremely adverse effect on further development plants. After planting sweet pea seedlings, squeeze from the sides, establish a support for tall varieties, regularly set the direction of the shoots, take care of the plants and expect flowering in the second half of June.

If sweet peas are grown by sowing seeds in open ground, bloom no earlier than July. In the spring, after the snow melts, make holes at a distance of 20-25 cm and put 2-3 seeds in each. Because of the dense shell, it is better to pre-soak the seeds in hot water for 2-3 hours and germinate. Seeds of varieties of sweet peas of white or light cream color, sow in open ground in a dry form.

Place and soil

To grow sweet peas, choose a location that is sheltered from the wind and very sunny. The soil is required fertile, loose for good air exchange, with a neutral pH acidity (if necessary, carry out). Soil with close-lying groundwater not suitable for the growth of sweet peas.

Under deep digging, phosphorus-potassium fertilizer and compost are introduced. Fresh manure provokes Fusarium wilt, and excess nitrogen stimulates the growth of green mass at the expense of flowering.

Sweet Pea Care

Regular and abundant watering, but do not flood. Apply a compound liquid fertilizer monthly. Remove faded inflorescences so that new buds appear. Hill plants to a height of 5-7 cm to stimulate the growth of adventitious roots. Pinch off the side shoots, remove part of the mustache so that the plant develops inflorescences, not greens.

Do not plant sweet peas in the same place two years in a row. If it does not work, then when planting, remove the old topsoil and replace it with a new one.

Collection of sweet pea seeds

In order to save the sweet pea variety you like, you just need to collect the seeds. To do this, leave a few plants and do not remove its 10 peduncles with pods. When the beans dry, they will turn yellowish and ready to be harvested. If overexposed and the beans turn brown, they can crack at the slightest touch, and the seeds will crumble. The collected beans are placed in gauze bags for half the volume and hung to dry under a canopy. It can be laid out on racks in the greenhouse. Seed germination lasts 5-6 years.

In rainy weather, the ovaries fall off, and it is not possible to collect the seeds.