GROWING SWEET-PEAS OUTDOORS 
ANDREW FRANCIS LOCKHART 
■ ESPITE the fact that the Sweet-pea is one of the com¬ 
monest of the old-fashioned garden flowers, perhaps no 
other universally grown annual is more often dis¬ 
appointing to the amateur. Innumerable 
gardeners have given them up in disgust, 
lamenting the fact that they can not 
grow Sweet-peas while So-and-So 
seems able to grow them as easily 
as Dandelions! 
The Sweet-pea is exacting, 
and requires considerable 
care. Many discover this 
each summer, and 
equally many disap¬ 
pointed growers refuse 
to take a lesson; they 
refuse to believe that 
Sweet-pea culture is 
something more than 
scraping a shallow 
drill, putting in the 
seeds and then leav¬ 
ing the rest to nature. 
They cannot under¬ 
stand, apparently, 
just why the new 
shoots ofttimes gently 
fold their leaves and 
gradually-die rather than 
bloom in soil that either is 
too poor to offer nourish¬ 
ment, or too wet for special 
comfort. 
It is never too early for plant¬ 
ing Sweet-peas and in the northern 
localities where seed was not sown in 
the fall seize the first day as soon as the soil 
is dry enough to work and, though there may be a 
possibility of heavy frosts, work the ground just as soon 
as the chill is out of it. It is essential that the roots be 
given ample time to develop before top growth begins. Sweet- 
peas are deep-rooted plants and in order to provide ample room 
for the spread of roots the preparation of the soil should be deep 
-and thorough. 
In selecting a spot for planting keep in mind the fact that a 
maximum amount of sunlight is needed to insure the best flowers 
and though a free circulation of air is beneficial the site should 
not be swept by strong winds which might tear the vines from 
their supports. An injury to the main runner will result in 
smaller flowers for that vine. It will also affect the length of 
the flower stems. 
fhe Sweet-peas may be planted in rows, running north and 
south, in order to get a maximum amount of sunlight, or they 
may be planted in circles, fhe former is the more practical and 
the most popular. Almost any garden soil is suitable for Sweet- 
pea growing, provided there is good fertilization and good 
drainage. Growers should provide against water standing 
about the plants in wet weather; the drainage must be complete. 
Extra care and diligence in the preparation of the soil will re¬ 
ward the grower with larger and more profuse blooms and at the 
same time insure long stems. 
The preparation of the seed bed requires thoroughness to per¬ 
mit of root development. Dig the trench, throwing the upper 
soil aside, at least one foot deep, pulverizing the bottom with a 
pick. Fertilization is the next step. It is a good plan to mix in 
all the fertilizer the soil will stand to insure rapid growth. Mix 
a good application of stable manure with the subsoil and fill the 
rest of the trench with the remaining earth liberally 
fertilized, pressing down firmly as loose soil is 
a detriment. It is well to let a small 
ridge remain at the top to permit of 
the soil settling. 
In this ridge make a little fur¬ 
row, two to four inches deep, 
for the seeds which should 
be planted about an inch 
apart, and the row ridged 
to permit drainage. Ad¬ 
ditional watering at 
the time of planting is 
unnecessary. Too 
much waterwill make 
unhealthy yellow foli¬ 
age and thus weaken 
if not kill the plants. 
When the seedling 
stalks are about four 
inches high, thin to 
six inches apart—this 
the gardener usually 
does reluctantly, hating 
to pull up perfectly 
healthy little plants, but 
such ruthlessness is re¬ 
warded by larger, longer- 
stemmed blooms and a longer 
blooming period. Crowding the 
plants reduces their size. Stake 
the sprouting plants as soon as the 
first little tendrils appear, using four- 
inch mesh wire, or twigs from last year’s 
tree pruning. Small twigs should be used at first 
to afford the tender little plants some protection from beating 
rains; then after the plant has commenced its rapid growth the 
runs may be trained on wire mesh or on larger twigs. 
Sweet-peas require a great deal of cultivation, and all too 
many amateurs depend upon artificial sprinkling to provide the 
necessary moisture. This does not bring the same beneficial 
result as a frequent stirring of the topsoil with a rake or sharp- 
toothed cultivator. A dust mulch keeps moisture in the ground 
and at the same time prevents the cracking of the soil and ex¬ 
posure to the sun of the fine top roots. Frequent surface sprink¬ 
ling in hot weather only results in the cracking of the surface of 
a heavy soil. During the blooming season keep the vines clean 
of withered flowers as allowing them to go to seed shortens the 
period of bloom considerably. 
If your plants are attacked by any of the ordinary nuisances 
(such as caterpillars, beetles, spiders, and the common green 
aphis, or sweet-pea louse), these may be overcome with oc¬ 
casional sprayings of a nicotine-sulphate or similar preparation 
[see page 21] purchasable at any seed store. Apply this poison 
with a very fine nozzle sprayer, mixing some soap (if not already 
included in the preparation) with it to insure its sticking to the 
foliage. Never water the vines in the middle of the day; wait 
until after sundown and then be careful not to drench them. 
Spraying to prevent parasites may commence as soon as the 
plants are from six to eight inches high—or just as soon as the 
pests are noticed. 
26 
