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How to Grow Peas: Complete Guide to Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Peas

loose peas and a pea pod
Image Credit:
Pixabay
Botanical Name
Pisum sativum
Grown as
Annual
Toxicity
Non-toxic
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Partial Sun
Water Needs
Moderate
Height
3-6 feet
Spread
1–3 feet
Soil pH
Neutral
Bloom Time
Spring
Fall
Flower Color
Varies
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Attracts Pollinators
Resilience
Cold Hardy
Plant Type
Vegetables
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Peas, please! There’s nothing like the taste of sweet, fresh peas straight from the garden. They’re the first crop to harvest in the spring, and with just a little care, you can enjoy these delicious green gems before the summer heat kicks in. 

Whether you’re growing snap peas, snow peas, or sweet peas, our comprehensive guide will show you how to sow, grow, and harvest your best crop yet. 

Peas are easy to grow, but their growing period is limited. It’s essential to plant them early enough in spring so they mature while the weather is still cool! (This means planting in most parts of the United States and Canada in February, March, or April.) However, they can also be grown as a fall or winter crop in warmer regions.

Peas do not stay fresh long after harvest, so enjoy their taste as soon as possible! Those peas in grocery stores are often starchy in taste, which you’ll find has no comparison to garden-fresh peas.

Planting

Where to Plant Peas

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 mulch well—peas like well-draining soil.

When to Plant Peas

  • Sow seeds 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost date when 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°F (but not more than 85°F) will catch up.
  • 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 more tips on when to start planting peas.

Pea pods on plant

How to Plant Peas

  • 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 will disintegrate.
  • Where spring is long and wet, plant seeds in raised garden beds.
  • To speed germination, soak seeds in water overnight before planting.
  • Sow seeds 1 inch deep (slightly deeper if the soil is dry) and about 2 inches apart. Do not thin.
  • Plant rows 7 inches apart.
  • Regarding crop rotation, do not plant peas in the same place more than once every four years.
  • Like those of other legumes, pea roots fix nitrogen in the soil, making it available for other plants.
  • 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 into it.

Peas on St. Patrick’s Day

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 plant peas in early spring if there’s snow! 

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 spring weather.

Great planting companions for peas include: chives, mint, alyssum, carrot, corn, cucumber, radish, turnip, and beans. Learn more about Companion Planting.

Growing

  • 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 be produced.
  • Gently remove intrusive weeds by hand. If necessary, hoe or cultivate, but carefully avoid disturbing peas’ shallow, fragile roots.
  • 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 of day.
  • Fertilizing plants is not usually required if the plants are mulched deeply with grass clippings, shredded leaves, or another biodegradable material.

Harvesting

How Do You Know When Peas Are Ready to Be Picked?

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 in bloom.

  • Pick snow peas when the delicate pods begin to show immature seeds inside.
  • Gather snap peas when the pods become plump yet are still glossy and filled with sweet-tasting peas.
  • Pick shell peas before the pods become waxy.
Pea pods growing in a garden
Photo credit: StanRohrer/GettyImages

How to Harvest Peas

  • Harvest peas in the morning after the dew has dried; they are crispiest then.
  • Harvest regularly to encourage more pods to develop.
  • Use two hands when you pick peas to avoid damaging the plant. Hold the vine with one hand and pull the pods off with the other.
  • Peas are at the peak of flavor immediately after harvest.
  • Pea pods that have hardened or turned a dull color are overmature. Mature plants usually stop producing and die back in hot summer weather.
  • If you missed your peas’ peak period, you can still pick, dry, and shell them for use in winter soups.

Shelled peas in hands

How to Store Peas

  • Store peas in the refrigerator for about 5 days. Place in paper bags, then wrap in plastic.
  • Or, freeze peas: Shell sweet peas, blanch, immerse in cold water, drain, and pack in sealed containers.
  • De-string/trim snow or snap peas and prepare as above.

Pests and Problems

Pest/DiseaseTypeSymptomsControl/Prevention
Aphids InsectMisshapen/yellow leaves; distorted flowers/fruit; sticky “honeydew” (excrement produced by aphids); sooty, black mold that forms on honeydew; large presence of ants on plantsGrow companion plants to either attract aphids away (nasturtiums) or repel them outright (basil, rosemary, strong-scented plants); knock aphids off plants with water spray, apply insecticidal soap; put banana or orange peel around plants; wipe leaves with a 1–2% solution of liquid dish soap and water every 2–3 days for 2 weeks; add native plants to attract aphid predators. Find images and more information about aphids here.
Fusarium WiltFungusPlants wilt (sometimes on just one side) in daytime; leaves turn yellow (lower ones first); later, entire plant wilts/dies; growth is stunted; stem cross-section reveals brown discolorationDestroy infected plants; avoid excessive nitrogen in soil; in acidic soils, raise pH to 7.0; choose resistant varieties; disinfect tools between use; practice crop rotation.
Downy MildewFungusYellow, angular spots on upper leaf surfaces that turn brown; white/purple/gray cottony growth on leaf undersides only; distorted leaves; defoliationRemove plant debris; choose resistant varieties; ensure good air circulation; avoid overhead watering.
Mexican Bean BeetlesInsectLacy, skeletonized leaves; dark holes on podsRemove by hand; purchase and release beneficial wasp Pediobius foveolatus when beetle larvae are observed; destroy severely infested plants. Find images and more infomation about Mexican bean beetles here.
Powdery MildewFungusTypically, white spots on upper leaf surfaces expand to flour-like coating over entire leaves; foliage may yellow/die; distortion/stunting of leaves/flowersDestroy infected leaves or plants; choose resistant varieties; plant in full sun, if possible; ensure good air circulation; spray plants with 1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 qt water; remove infected plant matter from garden and destroy (don’t compost). Find images and more information about powdery mildew here.
Root-knot NematodesInsectRoots become “knotted” or galled; plants stunted/yellow/wiltedDestroy affected plant matter (especially roots); choose resistant varieties; expose soil to sun (solarize); add aged manure/compost; disinfect gardening tools between uses; till soil in autumn; practice crop rotation.
WirewormsInsectPest affects newly planted seeds and young plants. Seeds hollowed; seedlings severed; plants stunted/wilted; roots eatenSow seeds in warm soil for quick germination; provide good drainage; remove plant debris at end of season; practice crop rotation. If infestation is bad enough, trap by digging 2- to 4-inch-deep holes every 3 to 10 feet, fill with mix of germinating beans/corn/peas or potato sections as bait, cover with soil or a board; in 1 week, uncover and kill collected wireworms.
White MoldFungusPods near the ground show cottony mold and black patches, and they are slimy rather than leathery or dry, becoming inedible. Gather up affected pods and compost them. Healthy plants may produce a second crop if dry weather returns in time. To prevent, make sure plants get good air circulation and plenty of sun to dry quickly after rains. Use mulch. Avoid watering from overhead; water at soil level.

Types

Three varieties of peas suit most garden and culinary needs:

  • Sweet peas, aka garden peas or English peas (Pisum sativum ssp. sativum), have inedible pods from which the seeds (peas) are taken.
  • Snow peas (P. sativum var. macrocarpon) produce edible, flat, stringless pods containing small peas.
  • Snap peas (P. sativum var. macrocarpon ser. cv.) produce thick, edible pods containing large/full-size peas.

Shelling Peas

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

  • ‘Green Arrow’: 2- to 3-foot vines; no support required; high yields; tolerant of mildew and fusarium wilt
  • ‘Lincoln’: 2- to 3-foot vines; no support required; tolerant of mildew and fusarium wilt
  • The classic ‘Wando’: suitable for freezing
  • ‘Thomas Laxton’: high sugar content
  • ‘Progress No. 9’: good disease resistance
  • ‘Little Marvel’: grows only 15 inches tall

Snap Peas

You eat the entire tender pod of snap peas. Some good varieties to try are:

  • ‘Sugar Ann’: vines grow only 2 feet tall, no support required
  • ‘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 ‘Sugar Snap’
  • ‘Super Sugar Mel’: produces 4-inch-long, very sweet pods

Snow Peas

Common in Chinese cooking, these flat-podded peas have edible pods. Some good varieties to try include:

  • ‘Mammoth Melting Sugar’: 4- to 5-foot vines; stringless pods; wilt tolerant
  • ‘Oregon Sugar Pod II’: grows only 2 1/2 feet tall
  • ‘Snowbird’: resistant to fusarium wilt

Wit and Wisdom

  • If a girl finds nine peas in a pod, the next bachelor she meets will become her husband.
  • According to folklore, St. Patrick’s Day is the traditional day for planting peas (in many regions).
  • Legend has it that the phrase “green thumb” originated during the reign of King Edward I of England, who was fond of green peas and kept six serfs shelling them during the season. The serf who had the greenest thumb won a prize!
  • Peas have also been used for genetic research! Gregor Mendel conducted several experiments with this vegetable. According to PennState, “In the mid-1800s, he conducted a number of experiments using garden peas at the monastery where he lived. He selected peas for his experiments because they were easy to grow and he could grow multiple crops in one season. His research produced the Mendel Laws of Inheritance: The Law of Dominance, The Law of Segregation, and The Law of Independent Assortment. This was groundbreaking scientific work. His laws also apply to human genetics.”

Vegetables

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Homestead Dreamer</span> Sun, 07/07/2013 - 17:30
Have you tried a light fertilizer yet? yellowing can mean a possible soil deficiency. Mine were looking a bit peckish so I put some seaweed fertilizer on em and now they are going gangbusters!
<span>Susan Brox</span> Thu, 06/06/2013 - 14:30
I have peas planted and they aren't blooming, what could the problem be? They have been planted for at least 2 months. They are very tall plants lots of leaves but no blooms.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 06/07/2013 - 16:15
Phosphorous will encourage blooms. Use a fertilizer that is high in phosphorous or sprinkle bone meal around your plants.
<span>Anonymous</span> Tue, 05/07/2013 - 14:26
Have 2" tall pea plants in pots inside where temp is in low 70's with window and artificial light. live in southeast texas where days are in mid 80's right now. Would it be ridiculous to put plants in refridgerator at night?
<span>Anonymous</span> Thu, 03/28/2013 - 14:36
Can I grow peas in a tub? As my ground is very waterlogged. I have a south facing, sunny garden but the corner I have for the peas is also low lying and swampy and I don't know how deep the roots need to go. Thank you
<span>Anonymous</span> Tue, 04/02/2013 - 11:35
I have grown peas with much success in containers, including an 8 inch deep hanging basket and 12 inch pot. Choose smaller varieties, such as Oregon Sugar Pod as the vines only grow to about 3 feet.
<span>Anonymous</span> Sat, 12/01/2012 - 03:57
I have planted snow peas and they are coming to the end of the fruitng period. What do I do with them now? Should I cut them back to soil level? If I do, will they grown back again? Any advice would be appreciated as they are now just taking nutrients from the soil and stunting growth of the other plants near by. Thank you
<span>Anonymous</span> Wed, 04/17/2013 - 15:16
If you Inoculate your Pea's they will actually supply Nitrogen for your Warm Season Crops. I would prepare the area to be planted. Then Soak Pea Seeds over-night. The next Day Inoculate Pea Seeds and Plant as Packet instructions. When temperatures are at steady 70°-75° Pea will not produce anymore. Now, I usually Plant Corn right into the area as Corn is a heavy Nitrogen feeder. http://www.johnnyseeds.com/Assets/Information/InoculantsTechSheet.pdf
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 12/03/2012 - 16:39
Snow peas are annuals, so they will not grow back again next year; you'll need to sow more seeds next year for a new crop. When you are through with this year's harvest, you can cut the pea plants back down to the ground and then compost the tops. Because the peas are legumes, they have nitrogen-fixing bacteria within their roots. Once a plant dies and decays, the nitrogen in the roots will return to the soil, allowing it to become available to other plants.
<span>Anonymous</span> Thu, 10/04/2012 - 13:09
This year I planted both Snow and Sugar Snap varieties of peas. I let the end of summer pods dry on the vine for seed, but when i shelled them I found I had WAY more seed than I can use next year or even the next few years. Can snow and snap pea seed be used as dried peas for cooking? Or are they poor quality as dried peas?