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Growing Peas
Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Pea Plants
Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Pea Plants
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Peas are one of the first crops we plant in the spring. Plant as soon as the ground can be worked—even if snow falls after you plant them! Here’s our guide to planting, growing, and harvesting peas.
There are three varieties of peas that will suit your garden and cooking needs:
- Pisum savitum, which includes both types of garden peas: sweet peas (inedible pods) and snow peas (edible flat pods with small peas inside).
- Pisum macrocarpon, snap peas (edible pods with full-size peas).
Pea plants are easy to grow, but have a limited growing season. Furthermore, peas do not stay fresh long after harvest, so enjoy them while you can!
As with other legumes, peas will fix nitrogen in the soil, making it available for other plants. This makes them a great companion plant.
Planting
Preparing the Planting Site
- To give your plants the best head start, turn over your pea planting beds and add compost or manure to the soil in the fall.
- Add wood ashes and bonemeal to the soil before planting. Peas need phosphorus and potassium, but excess nitrogen will encourage foliage growth instead of flowers or pods.
- Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.
- For tall and vining pea varieties, set up poles or a trellis at the time of planting. Learn how to build supports here.
When to Plant Peas
- Generally speaking, plant peas as soon as the ground thaws and can be worked in the spring—even if more snow is expected.
- For a more measured approach, plan to sow seeds outdoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last spring frost date, when soil temperatures reach at least 45°F (7°C). Here are some more tips on when to start planting peas.
- Get peas in the ground while the soil is still cool, but beware of excessive moisture caused by snowmelt or spring rain, as you don’t want the seeds to sit in wet soil. It’s a delicate balance of proper timing and weather conditions. If your garden tends to stay too wet, consider investing in raised garden beds.
- A blanket of snow won’t hurt emerging pea plants, but several days with temperatures in the teens could. 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 6–8 weeks before your first fall frost date. Fall plantings are typically not as productive as spring-grown peas, but make for a nice fall snack nonetheless!
How to Plant Peas
- For improved germination, soak peas overnight in water before planting.
- Plant seeds 1 inch deep (slightly deeper if soil tends to dry out quickly) and about 2 inches apart. Plant in rows spaced 12–24 inches apart.
- Poke in any seeds that get washed out of the soil. (A chopstick is an ideal tool for this.)
Check out this video to learn how to plant peas early while soil is cold:
Care
How to Grow Peas
- Water sparsely unless the plants are wilting. Do not let plants dry out, or no pods will be produced.
- To avoid disturbing fragile roots, gently remove intrusive weeds by hand.
- It’s best to rotate pea crops every year or two to avoid a buildup of soil-borne diseases. In between pea plantings, plant other vegetables to take advantage of the nitrogen-rich soil that peas leave behind (they are a nitrogen-fixing legume).
- Peas are best grown in temperatures below 70°F (21°C). Once temperatures get above 80°F (27°C), peas tend to stop producing pods or the pods become tough.
Pests/Diseases
- Aphids
- Mexican Bean Beetles
- Woodchucks
- Fusarium Wilt
- Caused by long-lived fungi that thrives in warm, dry conditions
- Prevention is key: Practice crop rotation, avoid adding excess nitrogen to the soil, and raise soil pH to at least 7.0 if this fungi affects your crops.
Harvest/Storage
How to Harvest Peas
- Keep your peas well picked to encourage more pods to develop.
- Pick peas in the morning after the dew has dried. They are crispiest then.
- Always use two hands when you pick peas. Secure the vine with one hand and pull the peas off with your other hand to avoid damaging the plant.
- If you missed your peas’ peak period, you can still pick, dry, and shell them for use in winter soups.
How to Store Peas
- Peas can be frozen or kept in the refrigerator for about 5 days. Place in paper bags, then wrap in plastic.
Recommended Varieties
- ‘Lincoln’ (sweet/shelling pea): 2- to 3-foot vines; no support required; tolerant of mildew and Fusarium wilt
- ‘Mammoth Melting’ (snow pea): 4- to 5-foot vines; stringless pods
- ‘Snowbird’ (snow pea): resistant to fusarium wilt
- ‘Sugar Ann’ (snap pea): 2-foot vines; no support required
- ‘Green Arrow’ (sweet/shelling pea): 2- to 3-foot vines; no support required; high yields; tolerant of mildew and Fusarium wilt
Wit & Wisdom
- If a girl finds nine peas in a pod, the next bachelor she meets will become her husband.
- St. Patrick’s Day is a traditional day for growing peas. Find out how to grow peas when there’s still snow on the ground with this humorous video.
Recipes
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Reader Comments
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Saint Patrick's Day
Here in South Australia Saint Patrick's Day is also a good time to plant peas even though our seasons are the reverse of the northern hemisphere. March 17 is early Autumn for us, so hopefully peas planted then will not be flowering during the periods of heavy frost. We grow peas as a winter crop here as even in spring the preferred temperature for peas can be exceeded, Saint Patrick's Day would be about the earliest you'd want plant peas here, but it's the time to get organised! For me it's usually tomatoes out, Sugarsnap peas in.
Planting peas
Trying to plant peas 2" apart is just plain foolish. The late Jim Crocket said words to the effect it doesn't matter one bit of the peas' shoulders touch each other. Not all peas are going to germinate anyway. This is from my experience of growing peas of all types (but primarily snap peas lately) for 38 seasons. I put down five pounds of seed in a 65 foot row that's about a foot wide...and they touch and love it! I cover them with State of Maine lobster compost. I have tremendous harvests from plants that grow almost to seven feet. They grow between two rows of soft nylon mesh trellis and pipe supports. When they're done, down they come. I drag them out as if the trellis mesh was a fisherman's net. Where they were becomes the main walkway for the middle of the garden. Try 2" apart with five pounds of seed. Good luck!
how far to space peas
You have certainly got a system that works. As it happens, the matter of space between peas when sowing can vary, depending on whom you ask. We suggest “about” 2 inches. Cornell University (an .edu that we consult often) suggests 1 to 4 inches apart. Other edu’s fall more in the 1 to 2 inch range. In local gardens, we’ve seen (and done) it with 2 inches and less. Sometimes when too close, we’ve seen some sprouts fail to thrive. Of course, lots more is at play here, including soil (we’ve heard the lobstah compost is terrific), sun, and water, among the considerations. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Growing Peas
Jim Crockett was a little before my time, but my Dad watched him and he gave me Jim's book a few years ago. I love that part of the book because he does essentially say he's been planting peas like that since he was a little boy. I follow his rule, the more seeds the merrier. I dig my 4" wide trench and just scatter them in there. I always have a great crop and it's a lot easier on the back and the rest of the body. He also mentions using sticks for pea brush.
Love Jim Crockett. I wish I could find copies of his old show somewhere.
watering
how many times a week should i water my plant?
Watering
That depends on a lot of factors, including the age of your plant (Are they seedlings or fully grown?), the weather (Has it been rainy or dry recently? Sunny or cloudy?), and your garden (Does the soil drain well or does it hold onto water?). Read our article on watering your vegetable garden for more information!
Pea watering
Peas require one inch of water per week which they generally receive with spring rains. If your area is dry, this regimen will be the easiest and best guide to follow. One can over water, but about an inch per week once pods set and flowers start to appear is reliable.
your Guidance for growing vegetables in Pune, India
I came across you recently and find it very useful and enjoyable. however I am located in Pune, india. Our weather Cycle is completely different from yours so is it possible for you to
give suggestions related to our weather? will appreciate your reply.
mrs. Rajul Kambuj.
Snow pea regrowth
I planted several snow pea seeds in the spring and each produced several pods. Shortly before the original vines turned yellow, they started producing new vines off of the original. Is this normal and should I cut off other dead vines and leaves that are not producing new vines?
snap peas
I just harvested peas from my terrace,beautiful. When I cooked them,ALL were very tough& stringy& inedible. The peas inside were good but the entire pod was to be eaten. What did I do wrong?
snap pea harvest
It might be that you harvested them too late. For snap peas, you don’t want the peas inside to develop quite so large as garden (English) peas, or the pods sometimes get tough. Some gardeners like to harvest them when the peas are about ½ mature size.
Peas, please!
My daughter begged me to buy some pea seeds at the dollar tree and add them to our garden this year since we expanded and added a larger raised bed after the very successful season we had last year for first time gardening, so I obliged and did a planting along with my bush beans. I have to admit that I didn't look into how they grow, but I staked them based on an experience with one snap pea plant I bought to test last year, and I'm so glad I did! Now they're growing so strong that I had to attach more stakes together and rig an arch/DIY trellis on the fly for them! I have my first pod growing so hopefully that will continue our success! 9+ plants for a 25 cent pack of seeds is probably the best bargain I've found all year! Possibly this decade!
Yellowing leaves on pea plants
Help! I just moved my seedlings into the ground about two weeks ago and have noticed the plant and leaves are turning yellow! We have had a pretty hot streak this week, so I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it. Any suggestions? I'm in Coarsegold, California.
yellow leaves
Pea leaves can turn yellow for several reasons. Most likely, however, it is the stress of establishing themselves in hot weather (they like cool). You might provide a little partial shade, such as shade cloth, during the hottest time of day to help them recover, and make sure they have a proper amount of water. Also check for any pests, such as aphids, that might be attacking.
Peas finished or not producing?
I'm in the Dallas area and planted peas the last week of March. Full growth, some pods, then the army of aphids. I resorted to the insecticide method for control and won. Very few flowers and pods now. Is my season over or did the aphids steal my crop?
Peas & beans not germinating
I've been gardening for many years.
The past couple of years I am suddenly having an issue where my legumes, peas & beans, are not germinating. I am growing in a large raised bed. I always use nitrogen innoculant with legumes. I've planted several varieties of each, fresh seed. I think sometimes they may be rotting in the soil as no sprouting & if I dig them up often the seed is gone. Watering normally etc.
Very odd, I'm totally puzzled add too what is going on and how to resolve it.
Any suggestions?
seed troubles
Could an animal, such as a mouse or vole, be eating the sown seeds? Sometimes they are known to eat pea seeds and others in the garden. To control, here are some suggestions:
http://www.almanac.com/pest/mice
http://www.almanac.com/pest/voles
Birds and squirrels may also be a problem.
Make sure that the seeds are planted at the correct depth and optimum conditions are provided. Also check to make sure that the soil is not too cold; if planted too early, beans, for example, will not germinate well. They like soil temperature at least 60F, and on up to about 85F. Peas like it around 75F, but can germinate at between 40 and 85F; at less optimum temperatures, they’ll germinate more slowly.
Hope this helps!
No sign of pests
The soil is totally undisturbed, no signs of digging, holes in the ground, nothing. I only plant peas & spinach in cool spring weather. The beans have to wait till it's warmer. Planted peas 2.5c weeks ago, 2 different kinds, followed depth instructions. Spinach germinated just fine. Not a single pea plant or sprout. Just bizarre
peas being cut off
my peas were being cut off and we found that a rabbit was eating them.
rabbits in the peas
Our best recommendation is chicken wire fencing. It may be too late for the peas, but it’s not too late to secure your later crops (greens? lettuce?). Dogs, cats, red/black pepper, garlic powder, even human hair are suggested many times, but the fence may be the most effective.
Snow peas
My snow peas are being cut off after emerging. They are less than an inch tall. What could be doing that and what can I do to prevent it? Thank you!
rabbit defense
Our best recommendation is chicken wire fencing. It may be too late for the peas, but it’s not too late to secure your later crops (greens? lettuce?). Dogs, cats, red/black pepper, garlic powder, even human hair are suggested many times, but the fence may be the most effective
Luscious vines, no peas
I have a beautiful 5' fence in the middle of my garden, which is thick and full of pea vines, but very few peas. They have always produced well in winter (in Arizona), organic, heavily composted soil. Last year I added about 300 lbs. of coffee grounds to the soil and did not solarize during the summer, as usual. Would either of these affect the production of peas? It looks like every seed germinated and flourished.
peas, please
Peas do not need—or usually want—”good” soil, which is to say the kind of soil that so many other plants love—composted soil. Peas perform best with little attention. The coffee grounds, especially such a quantity may have upset the balance of your soil, adding nitrogen which encourages leaf/foliage growth. Sounds like a little too much of a good thing. In future, compost the coffee grounds and use the results on other plants.
Oregon Sugar Pod II
I am currently germinating my peas (don't ask why, it's science-related) and I very stupidly put them in a water temperature of 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Do you think I should restart or is there a chance that the peas could sprout?
Peas in hot water
Hmm. 102F is lukewarm water. I’m not sure if the seeds will be happy, but if they were not in the warm water for long, some may still sprout. However, I think you might get reduced germination rates. Peas do not germinate well above 85F soil temperature. Being exposed to overly warm temperatures may also cause other physiological changes. For the sake of a science experiment, it might be better to start over. You could still test these as well, too, to compare (might be an interesting experiment in itself). Good luck!
how big
i have a small pea plant growing in a small pot and i am wondering if they get really big so i know to transplant it soon.
Transplanting Peas
Although peas don’t like their roots disturbed, and therefore usually are planted directly in the garden, gardeners have had success growing them indoors and then transplanting out when weather is more cooperative. To do this, there are several methods, one of the most common being starting the seeds in peat pots which can then be transplanted, pot and all, into the garden; the pot will disintegrate over time, which lessens the disturbance to plant roots. Another method is described here:
http://www.almanac.com/video/get-growing-early-peas
How big a pot you’ll need and when you’ll need to transplant will depend on the variety of pea, the size of the current pot, and whether you plan to grow your peas outside or if they will be completely container-grown. In general, bush peas can grow about 18 or so inches high. There are also those that grow up to about 24 or 30 inches. Pole types can grow 4 to 6 feet, or more, and will need support. You can transplant peas into the garden any time after they are 4 inches tall; or about 4 to 6 weeks after starting seeds. Place in the garden no earlier than 4 weeks before the last expected spring frost.
OLD PEAS
Do older peas or beans germinate better in warmer soils?, soaked ? inoculated?
Have had some luck with warmer soils on non soaked or inoculated beans and peas.
Germinating older seeds
I’m not sure if an inoculant would help the seed to sprout; it’s my guess that it is more to help the plant once it forms roots (which is where the nitrogen-fixing bacteria make their home). However, soaking and warmth often can encourage older seeds that are still viable to sprout. You might try soaking the seeds overnight in warm (not hot) water, and then planting in warm soil. Beans especially like soil temps around 80 to 85F. Peas like soil temps around 75F. Good luck!
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