How to Grow Peas: The Complete Guide (2024)

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Select a sunny location and well-draining soil. Although peas can grow in part shade, they won’t be as sweet or productive as those grown in full sun. Prepare the soil, preferably in the fall, mixing in aged manure and/or compost, and much well—peas like well-drainingsoil.

When to PlantPeas

• Sow seeds 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost datewhen the soil is cool, or when it is at the desired temperature. Peas planted in cold (40°F) soil will germinate slowly; peas planted in soil that is at least 60°FF (but not more than 85°F) will catchup.
• Snow will not hurt emerging pea plants, but several days with temperatures in the teens might. Be prepared to plant again if the first peas don’t make it. Alternatively, try starting your peas in a cold frame.
• A second round of peas can be planted in the late summer or early fall, approximately 6 to 8 weeks before your first fall frost date.

Here are some moretips onwhen to start planting peas.

How to PlantPeas

• Peas are best direct-seeded right in the ground and do not like their roots disturbed. But transplanting is possible if you start seeds in biodegradable pots; you’ll transplant the pot and all into the garden, and the pot willdisintegrate.
• Where spring is long and wet, plant seeds in raised garden beds.
• To speed germination, soak seeds in water overnight beforeplanting.
• Sow seeds 1 inch deep (slightly deeper if the soil is dry)and about 2 inches apart. Do notthin.
• Plant rows 7 inchesapart.
• Regarding crop rotation, do not plant peas in the same place more than once every fouryears.
• Like those of other legumes, pea roots fix nitrogen in the soil, making it available for otherplants.
• In terms of fertilizer, peas need phosphorus and potassium, but excess nitrogen will encourage foliage growth instead of flowers or pods. Learn more about soil amendments.
• Bush peas can reach 18 to 30 inches tall. Pole types can grow at least 4 to 6 feet tall. Both types benefit from support (especially bush peas above 2 feet and all pole peas). Install thin tree branches or twiggy sticks(pea sticks), trellises, chicken wire, strings, or netting before plants establish their shallow roots.See instructions on how to build trellises and supports for peas.
• Water to keep the soil moist. If seeds wash out of the soil, poke them back intoit.

Peas on St. Patrick’sDay

It’s an old American tradition to plant peas on St. Patrick’s Day! Our retired editor, Janice, shows us her trick on how to plantpeas in early spring if there’ssnow!

St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) is the traditional day for planting peas, one of the easiest plants to grow. It’s said to bring luck come harvest time. And it makes sense: Soil is typically thawed and workable, and these veggies prefer to get started in chilly springweather.

• Water peas sparsely with no more than 1 inch per week, unless the plants are wilting. We don’t want to encourage pea rot. But also do not let the plants dry out. If this happens, no pods will beproduced.
• Gently remove intrusive weeds by hand. If necessary, hoe or cultivate, but carefully avoid disturbing peas’ shallow, fragileroots.
• Pea leaves turn yellow for several reasons. Often, this is due to the stress of hot weather. Provide partial shade (e.g., row covers) and water properly during the hottest time ofday.
• Fertilizing plants is not usually required if the plants are mulched deeply with grass clippings, shredded leaves, or another biodegradablematerial.

Shelling Peas: Also known as garden or sweet peas, these are the most common types of peas available. Some good varieties to tryinclude:

• ‘Green Arrow’:2- to 3-foot vines; no support required; high yields;tolerant of mildew andFusariumwilt
• ‘Lincoln’:2- to 3-foot vines; no supportrequired; tolerant of mildew and Fusariumwilt
• The classic ‘Wando’ (suitable forfreezing)
• ‘Thomas Laxton’ (high sugarcontent)
• ‘Progress No. 9’ (good diseaseresistance)
• ‘Little Marvel’ (grows only 15 inchestall)

Snap Peas: You eat the entire tender pod of snap peas. Some good varieties to tryare:

• ‘Sugar Ann’:vinesgrowonly 2 feet tall, no supportrequired.
• ‘Sugar Snap’: The original (Calvin’s) just brought back. Carried only by Johnny’s Selected Seeds.
• ‘Early Snap’:An early-maturing version produces peas 10 to 14 days earlier than ‘SugarSnap’
• ‘Super Sugar Mel’: produces 4-inch-long, very sweetpods

Snow Peas: Common in Chinese cooking, these flat-podded peas have edible pods.Some good varieties to tryinclude:

• ‘Mammoth Melting Sugar’ (wilt tolerant):4- to 5-foot vines; stringlesspods
• ‘Oregon Sugar Pod II’: grows only 2-1/2 feettall
• ‘Snowbird’: resistant to fusariumwilt

How do you know when peas are ready to bepicked?

Most varieties of peas are ready to harvest 60 to 70 days after planting.Peas mature quickly, so check daily once you see the flowers inbloom.

• Pick snow peas when the delicate pods begin to show immature seedsinside.
• Gather snap peas when the pods become plump yet are still glossy and filled with sweet-tastingpeas.
• Pick shell peas before the pods becomewaxy.

How to HarvestPeas

• Harvest peas in the morning after the dew has dried. They are crispiestthen.
• Harvest regularly to encourage more pods todevelop.
• Use two hands when you pick peas to avoid damaging the plant. Hold the vine with one hand and pull the pods off with theother.
• Peas are at the peak of flavor immediately afterharvest.
• Pea pods that have hardened or turned a dull color are overmature. Mature plants usually stop producing and die back in hot summerweather.
• If you missed your peas’ peak period, you can still pick, dry, and shell them for use in wintersoups.

How to StorePeas

• Store peas in the refrigerator for about five days. Place in paper bags, then wrap inplastic.
• Or, freeze peas: Shell sweet peas, blanch, immerse in cold water, drain, and pack in sealedcontainers.
• De-string/trim snow or snap peas and prepare asabove.

Catherine Boeckmann