For many years of the Soviet past, balconies and loggias were set aside for storing rubbish and seasonal items. However, today these areas are increasingly used to create flowering gardens, planting beautiful compositions both on the balcony itself and in the wrought-iron boxes.
The choice of plants for this purpose today is huge. In this article, we will introduce you to one of the most interesting in appearance and unpretentious in the care - sweet peas. To learn how to grow sweet peas on the balcony, about its popular varieties and cultivation features read below.
The best varieties of sweet peas for growing on the balcony
Sweet Peas (lat. Lathyrus odoratus) - annual flower culture, belongs to the legume family. Its name was due to the fact that when flowering exudes a very pleasant aroma. Another flower name is rank fragrant. The origin of this plant goes far back in antiquity and is not known for certain.
Did you know? Traces of sweet peas lead to Sicily, from where the English brought him to the 15th. The selection of this flower was first started in the nineteenth century by the Scottish scientist Henry Ekford. Since then, several thousand varieties of sweet peas have been bred, combined into 16 groups.
The stem of sweet peas is curly, thin, creeping, weakly branchy. The leaves are green with a beautiful shade of gray. At the ends have antennae that allow you to cling to the support and grow like a liana.
Small flowers (2-6 cm) are collected in racemes of 15 or less flowers. At the same time blooming 5-6 flowers. The duration of flowering of each of them - 4-5 days. Their color can be various: white, pink, cream, red, violet, blue, etc. The period of flowering is very long - from June to October.
Varieties are divided into tall, medium growth and short. The tallest plants can reach 2.5-3 m, the lowest are considered to be flowers that have reached 20 cm. Tall varieties are planted in gardens, greenhouses (for cutting).
About 100 of the varieties are suitable for planting on balconies, terraces, and gazebos. The most popular varietal groups are Spencer, Galaxy, Royal, Winter Elegance, Rufled. Low-growing varieties (Mammut, Bijou, Fantasia, Cupid) are used for pot culture.
Also, different types of peas are different shapes and colors of flowers. Not so long ago, the breeders had a long-term view.
Important! When choosing a variety of sweet peas, it is necessary to take into account the size of the area on which it is planned to plant, its shade and the presence of other cultures on it.
Sweet peas can be combined with other flowers. If the plans are only vertical gardening of the balcony, then petunia and hops will do.
When mixed gardening nearby you can plant roses and geraniums.
Growing sweet peas through seedlings
Flowers of sweet peas are propagated in two ways:
- seeds;
- seedlings.
Before planting sweet peas on seedlings, you need to take care of the preparation of the soil and seeds in advance.
Soil preparation
If you plan to plant seedlings in garden soil, then it must be prepared in the fall. Since sweet peas are planted in early spring, during this period the open ground will be frozen. The required amount of land is entered on the balcony and stored until spring in a cool place.
The first weeks of March - the most optimal time when you should plant sweet peas on seedlings. 6-7 days before sowing the soil must be brought into the apartment for warming. After that, it should be mixed with peat mixture for growing seedlings (sold in specialized stores).
If you plan to plant peas in the purchase of land, then the soil "Universal", "For indoor plants". Ordinary plastic cups can be used for planting seeds, having previously made drainage holes in them, or special seedling containers. Tanks need to be filled with earth and plenty of water.
Seed preparation and planting
After handling the soil, it is necessary to prepare seed material. In order to determine their germination, seeds are soaked for a day (for several hours) in warm (50-60 ºС) water. You can also carry out the procedure for their disinfection.
Important! Only seeds of dark color are suitable for soaking. Light seeds of water do not like.
The next day, those seeds that float on the surface, throw. The remaining at the bottom, swollen, put on a damp napkin and cover with plastic wrap. Before that, for a greater chance of germination, the seed coat can be punctured with a knife or nail scissors. Although this procedure is best done by experienced flower growers.
Capacity with seeds put in a warm place for three days, regularly airing them. After this time, they should begin to spit (a longer period may be needed), and they can be planted in the ground. For this, small holes (2.5-3 cm) are made in the ground in cups, one seed is planted in them and powdered with earth. Capacities must be covered with foil.
If the seeds are planted not in separate containers, but in one container, they should be planted at a distance of 8 cm from each other. After planting seeds should be watered. As soon as the green shoots appear, the film must be removed. Put the cups or tray in a sunny place.
Seedling care
Caring for seedlings of sweet peas involves monitoring the temperature. Indoors should not be too hot. The optimum temperature is 20 ºС. The room should be aired regularly, and the seedlings should be watered moderately (1-2 times a week). Feeding seedlings with nitrogen fertilizers is possible.
After the first leaves appear on the seedlings in the tray, they should be thinned out, leaving 14 cm between shoots. When buds appear, they should be removed before planting.
Transplanting
In the balcony boxes and pots sprouts are planted with a lump of earth after the warm weather has established. The planting procedure should be carried out very carefully, so as not to damage the still fragile sprouts and poorly developed root system.
This is best achieved if the seedling is pre-watered well, and then the cup in which it is planted is cut with scissors and the whole soil is removed from there. At the same time in the soil in the balcony container are made grooves that can accommodate the sprout along with the whole clod of earth.
If several plants are planted, the spaces between them are left at least 20-25 cm long, depending on the variety selected. Tall plants plant 4 pieces per 1 square. m
To get used to the new place of peas will be about two weeks, during this time he may experience a lack of growth. During this period, the shoots are recommended to shade from sunlight.
Sowing seeds of sweet peas directly in boxes on the balcony
The stage of growing seedlings of sweet peas can be skipped, and start growing from seed immediately to the place where the flower will grow later. And if you are going to plant peas in the balcony box next to other plants, then this method will be the only possible one.
One of its significant drawbacks is that the flower will bloom later - in July and August. Although this problem is also solved, it is enough to cover the box with plastic wrap a week before planting the seeds. This is done in order to warm the earth well.
Preparing the soil and seeds when planting directly in balcony boxes is no different from this procedure when breeding seedlings. For normal development, sweet pea requires deep (at least 60 cm) and not very wide capacity.
Important! Planting of sweet peas is best done with seeds purchased in specialized stores.
Seeds for planting choose fresh, shelf life of not more than one year. After the appearance of the third pair of leaves is recommended to hold nip plants, This will give an impetus to the development of lateral shoots. In early varieties flowering occurs 60 days after sowing.
How to care for sweet peas in the summer on the balcony
Sweet pea - the plant is unpretentious in the care, but still requires little attention and compliance with some agricultural rules. In particular, this flower does not tolerate:
- direct sunlight;
- full shade;
- excessive moisture;
- sharp temperature drops.
Did you know? Sweet pea is only an ornamental plant; one should not think that it is possible to grow seasoning from it. The same name for a flower and pepper is just a coincidence.
An important procedure for the care will be the immediate removal of wilted flowers in order to prevent the formation of fruit. After all, when the peas begin to bear fruit, its flowering slows down.
Correct watering
Watering sweet peas should be moderate. This procedure is best performed in the morning or evening. It is useful to spray it from the sprayer, while ensuring that the plant is not at this time in the sun, otherwise burns of the leaves are possible.
When watering a stream of water should be directed to a distance of 20 cm from the stem.
After watering the soil under the plant, it is desirable to break through it for better access of oxygen to the roots.
During particularly dry and hot periods, watering should be abundant and frequent.
Once every two weeks you can add fertilizer to the water for foliar feeding.
Top dressing and fertilizer
During the period of active growth and before flowering, the flower is fed once a fortnight with mineral and nitrogen fertilizers. During flowering, you can use mineral fertilizers "Flower", "Agricola" (twice). Overdoing with dressing is not worth it. There is a risk that this may lead to slower flowering and leaf growth.
Garter stalks
Garter plants carried out after the appearance of the first antennae at the end of the leaves. On the balcony you need to stretch the rope and tie the peas to it with a twine.
It will be like a hint for a flower, then he himself will begin to choose his support for the shoots. You will only need to adjust its growth in the right direction. In order for the flower to be comfortable to curl, you can put a grid or rail.
Cultivation of sweet peas on the balcony will not be difficult and will give you a colorful long-term and long flowering.
