Home Garden
# Home & Garden >> Plants, Flowers & Herbs >> Flower Basics

What Kind of Roots Do Sweet Peas Have?

In tall vining varieties and compact bush cultivars, sweet pea (Lathryus odoratus) plants offer blossoms perfect for cutting and displaying. These annuals typically flower in the late spring while temperatures are still mild -- the summer heat forces sweet peas to stop blossoming because of added stress to the plant. Although several vining varieties stretch as high as 9 feet, sweet peas have fine root systems typical of an annual plant.

  1. Root System

    • Because sweet peas must grow, flower and set seed in one growing season, their root systems are not developed into large taproots -- both vine and bush varieties have fibrous roots that extend deep into the soil. Without a large anchoring root, you can plant sweet peas in a variety of locations. Aside from gardens and borders, grow sweet peas in planters or window boxes. Although thin, the roots spread prolifically underground to find ample moisture, nutrients and air pockets for healthy growth.

    Soil Texture

    • Whether you grow sweet peas from seed or transplant them into your garden as seedlings, the fibrous roots are extremely sensitive -- avoid damaging them as you remove them from pots and replant them. To promote root spread after planting, your soil texture must be loose and crumbly, in addition to holding ample moisture and organic matter. Your sweet peas need all the nutrients and water available for maximum root uptake in one growing season. Sweet peas cannot flourish without rich soil, coupled with a sunny location. Add 2 inches of compost to the top 6 inches of your garden for the best water retention and nutrient access. Roots use water to carry nutrients to the stem and foliage above.

    Cool Soil

    • If you have a particularly warm spring, you need to protect your sweet pea roots from drought stress -- they die back if roots are not kept cool and moist. Although sweet pea leaves prefer full sunlight, cover the soil below with mulch or strategic ground cover to regulate soil temperature. As sunlight strikes the ground cover, any moisture and temperatures at the soil level remain mild. As a result, your sweet pea roots continue to grow deeply. If you use mulch, select an organic type that decomposes into the soil. Added nutrients from decaying mulch also improve your sweet pea environment for flourishing blossoms.

    Early Root Growth

    • If you want to start growing sweet pea seeds early, you can easily sow them outside in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10 during the late summer or early fall. Because sweet pea germination and root growth prefer soil temperatures between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, these warm USDA zones allow wintertime blossoms. As you plant the seeds, provide at least 6 inches of space between them for ample root spread. Dense sweet pea plantings often create competitive environments in which some seedlings die back from lack of root nutrients and moisture.

Previous:

Next:

Flower Basics
  1. What Kind of Lavender Do I Have?
  2. What Insects Eat Sweet Peas?
  3. What Kind of Root Does Grass Have?
  4. What Kind of Radioactive Material Do Smoke Detectors Have?
  5. What Kind of Roots Do Tulips Have?
  6. What Is a Sweet Pea Vine?
  7. What Is Eating My Rose Bush Roots?
  8. What Kind of Roots Do Dwarf Banana Trees Have?
  9. What Kind of Root Does a Foxglove Have?
  10. What Type of Root System Does a Grape Plant Have?
  11. What Kind of Ferns Have Stems?
  12. What Kind of Roots Do Roses Have?

Home Garden © https://www.98905.com