Article: Sweet peas of all varieties thrive in sunny areas, making them a great choice for exposed sections of fence and walls. In the heat of summer, sweet peas will do fine in partial shade, but it's better to find someplace sunny to be on the safe side. Since sweet peas love to climb, find a spot where they can grow toward the sky. They produce small tendrils that will latch onto any type of pole you plant them near. Sweet peas make an excellent natural decoration for fences. If you have a wooden or chain link fence you want to brighten up, plant sweet peas there. Sweet peas are often grown on trellises or archways. This is another lovely choice, and will lend your garden a country cottage feel. If you don't have a suitable place for sweet peas, erect a few bamboo posts in your garden and plant sweet peas there. It'll lend some height and interest to your garden. You could also create a tower of stakes in a pot or a small arbor. You can plant sweet peas among other plants, like shrubs or vegetables. Sweet peas grow best in rich soil that drains well. Prepare the soil for planting by tilling it to a depth of 6 inches (15.2cm) and working in some compost or manure. This is especially important if your soil is clay heavy; you'll need to work in extra compost to make sure it drains well enough for sweet peas' roots. To determine whether the soil drains well enough, observe it after a heavy rain. If water collects and puddles and takes time to drain, the soil there doesn't drain well. If the water soaks in right away, it should be fine for your seedlings. Using a raised bed is a good option if you feel your soil is too clay heavy to support seedlings. This will come in handy for other plants you want to grow as well. Whether you started your seeds inside and are planting seedlings, or you want to plant your seeds directly in your garden bed, early spring is the right time to do it. If you live in a warm area where the ground never freezes, you can plant in January or February. If you live in an area where the ground does freeze, wait until just after the first frost, in early to mid April. If you're transplanting seedlings, dig holes 5 inches (12.7cm) apart and deep enough to set the seedlings root balls into the ground. Pat fresh soil lightly around the stems of the seedlings. For seeds you're planting directly in the ground, dig holes one inch deep and 3 inches (7.6cm) apart. When they sprout, you'll need to thin them out to 5 inches (12.7cm) apart, so each plant has plenty of room to grow. Finish by giving the plants a good dose of fresh water. The sweet peas will begin to spring up quickly once warmer weather sets in.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Choose a sunny spot in your yard or garden. Enrich the soil. Plant the sweet peas in early spring. Dig holes for the sweet peas. Water the sweet peas.