Growing Sweet Peas in Allotment Gardens

Growing sweet peas in allotment gardens can be a wonderful and rewarding experience. If you are a beginner with this type of gardening, it is a good idea to begin by starting small and learning the tricks of the trade. There are several steps to go through in order to properly plant and maintain a garden. You will also need to consider your space as you go along.

1. Determine the Best Spot

It is important to determine the best spot for the garden in which to grow this versatile crop. If you live in an area with a lot of sun, then you should plant peas close to a window. These plants enjoy lots of sunlight. If you have no place to plant them, look for areas that have a lot of shade. Sweet peas do well in partial shade during the hot summer months.

2. Choosing Best Sweet Pea Plant

The next step in preparing a sweet peas garden is to determine what plants are most appropriate for this type of gardening. A popular choice is lupine. Other options include an array of beans and peas, onions, and dill. These four plants are all excellent choices for starting a garden. They offer many varieties and are easy to grow.

3. Basic Requirements to Grow Sweet Pea Plants

In order to produce quality crops, it is important to get the soil, fertilizers, and seeds right. Most beginning farmers are not prepared to handle this responsibility. This is why many turn to professional advice. Organic gardeners or landscapers have much more experience with ensuring that a garden is not only beautiful, but that it is healthy as well. They can also help to make sure that the plants get all of the nutrients they need.

4. Be Aware of the Pests

When you are growing sweet peas in allotment gardens, it is important to be aware of pests that can attack your plants. There are specific breeds of bugs that are especially drawn to sweet peas. It is important to be vigilant and to take steps to protect your plants. Keep a natural chemical pesticide on hand just in case a pest does show up.

5. Protection from Wind

Since sweet peas do not have leaves, it is very difficult to provide them with protection from wind. As a result, it is important to provide them with a shelter. If you have tall plants that take up plenty of room around your garden, you might consider using a trellis system. If that is not possible, try erecting poles across the top of your garden. Another good option is to put up netting where necessary.

6. Protection from Weeds

Another issue that crops up when growing sweet peas in allotment gardens is that of weeds. Many people try to grow them organically, but without some kind of prevention, they quickly become a problem. One of the best ways to prevent weeds is to pull them out of the area before they start to grow. You can also use an herbicide to kill any weeds that are already there.

7. Learn about Suitable Plants and Climate

Growing sweet peas in allotment gardens can be an easy, pleasant experience. But you have to learn about the plants themselves and how they will grow in your particular climate. Take some time to learn what they eat and how they grow. With some effort, you should be able to grow many healthy plants with little effort.

8. Plant the Seeds Correctly for Best Results

Growing sweet peas in allotment gardens do require diligence and patience. The best way to ensure that your efforts will be rewarded is to make sure that you plant the seeds correctly. Don’t wait until the last minute to plant your sweet peas, because timing is everything when it comes to growing anything.

9. Keep them Watered

Sweet peas usually produce a lot of leaves and flowers, making them very attractive. However, their roots can actually do a number on your garden if you are not careful. Keep them watered, but try to avoid putting too much water down. In fact, you should avoid getting any soil in the first place. Dig a hole a few inches deep and then place them in. Cover the hole with dirt and water regularly, but don’t overwater.

10. Pinching

Once your plants begin to show signs of leaves and buds appearing, you can try pinching them. Just be sure not to pinch the tips of the leaves. That can stunt their growth. Just keep pinching and as soon as the first set of leaves appear, remove them and replace them with a new set. Soon, you will have a well established garden of sweet peas.

11. Follow Regular Feeding Schedule

In order for growing sweet peas in allotment gardens, you must also follow a regular feeding schedule. You should alternate between a liquid feed and a fertilizer every other week. Remember to always follow the directions on your fertilizer. This will help your plant to thrive and have healthy leaves.