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Sweet peas flowers are the bringer of new life and a sign that the winter have passed. There is nothing that brings spring into your house like a bunch of freshly picked sweet peas. Just the smell is to die for. Add their beautiful colors and you have a winning combination. Any effort on your side will be one hundred percent worth your while.
Sweet peas, or Lathyrus odoratus, grow in areas that have winter as well as summer rainfall. I have grown them in South Africa and I see that they do very well here in Israel also. This plant is really a sweat heart and is quite tough. It can handle a bit of cold and is not very fussy about the soil. In areas where the ground is still frozen or too hard in March, is it better to start germination indoors. You will also get the plants to flower quicker.
To help the germination process along, let the sweet peas soak overnight. The seed covering is quite hard, so you will have to cut a little slit to help the water get in. Nail clippers is the ideal tool for this job. Hold the little seed between your thumb and forefinger and cut a little slit with the other hand. Be careful not to cut a "bite" out of the seed, but do not worry if a piece of the skin peels of. Cover the seeds with lukewarm water and set aside overnight.
Now fill a few pots with potting soil. Do not use soil from the garden, it does not always drain properly and may be full of weed seeds. We want the seedlings to be happy from the beginning. Also make sure to either use new pots, or ones that have been washed very well. You can not believe all the germs that gets stuck to an old pot!
In each pot, plant only two seeds. I hate to pull out a lot of perfectly good plants just because they were sown too close to each other. It is not sensible to plant only one seed though because it may not even germinate, or the seedling is very weak or the dog gets at it.
I use a chopstick to make a hole to drop the seed in, your finger will also do. The chopstick makes a small skinny hole. Cover the seeds firmly with some potting soil and spray gently with water. Try to make "rain" for your plants. Outside I use a watering can on the seedlings or the spray nozzle on the hosepipe for stronger plants. Inside, a spray bottle does the trick.
The pots get placed in a nice and warm spot in your house or hothouse. You must be careful that too much strong sun do not makes the pots too hot. The temperature must be warm, not hot. An area with indirect sunlight will be just right. Keep the soil wet with the spray bottle. Soon your seedlings will make their appearance. Give them a week's time and then cut the weaker plant off. Cut it near the soil. Do not pull it out because it will disturb the other plant's roots.
The seedlings have to be acclimatized to the outdoors before they can be planted out. Start in the morning or afternoon when it is not too hot or too cold. I like to put them in the place where they are going to be planted out. Leave them outside for only one hour on the first day. Then add an hour every day. After a week, if it is a nice day, the seedlings can be planted out.
Make a hole in the ground the size of the pot with soil and all. Tip the pot upside down and gently catch it with the other hand. Do not remove any of the original potting soil. It will act as a buffer for the seedling, until it gets used to the outside soil. It is also important not to hurt or disturb any of the roots. Pack the soil nice and firm around the plant and water gently. To protect from snails and slugs, place a ring of crushed eggshells around the seedlings.
There are sweet peas that are of the climbing variety and there is also a bushy plant. Plant the climbers near a fence or trellis to cling on to. You may have to give a hand in the beginning until they have found their own way. Cut the bushy sweet peas about five centimeters from the top to encourage sidewards growth.
Remember to cut flowers for the house. You will bring spring inside and encourage further growth. A posy of sweet pea flowers is a wonderful gift. Even the most grouchy of person will stop to smell the flowers.
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Author Bio Box: Marina Shemesh
http://www.helium.com/users/387295
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