How to Grow Sweet Pea Knee High

Knee High sweet peas are charming annuals that grow to 2 to 3 feet in height and don't require staking. They not only add color – red, white, bright pink and lilac – but they lend fragrance to the garden as well. Knee High sweet peas should be directly sown into the garden four to six weeks before the last frost date in your region. If you live in an area with mild winters, sow the seed in late fall or early winter to get a headstart on the spring blooming period.

Bowl
Hoe or shovel
Rake
Garden snips
Compost

Instructions

- 1
  Soak the Knee High sweet pea seed in a bowl of tap water for 24 hours before planting.
- 2
  Choose a full-sun location to plant the Knee-High sweet peas. Gardeners in regions with hotter temperatures may want to choose a site that receives shade in the afternoon.
- 3
  Mix 3 to 4 inches of manure into the soil and use a hoe or shovel to work it to a depth of 6 inches. Rake the sweet pea bed until it's level and smooth.
- 4
  Sow the Knee-High sweet pea seeds 1-inch deep, 3 inches apart, and cover them lightly with soil. Water the bed so that the top 2 inches of soil is moist and keep it watered while the seeds germinate. Knee-High sweet pea seeds germinate within 10 to 21 days.
- 5
  Thin the sweet pea seedlings to 6 inches apart when they reach 2 inches in height. Pull out the smallest, weakest sweet pea seedlings and leave the others.
- 6
  Water the Knee-High sweet peas when a finger stuck into the soil, up to the first knuckle, comes out dry. Water until you stick your finger into the soil and it comes out wet.
- 7
  Pick flowers frequently to encourage the plant to produce more. Snip off dead flowers so the plant doesn't go to seed.
- 8
  Spread 2 inches of compost around the sweet peas when flowers form. This helps add nutrients to the soil. Standard fertilizers, with nitrogen, promote foliage growth at the expense of flowers.

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