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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>Christine Jers…</span> Thu, 03/14/2019 - 12:33
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.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 03/14/2019 - 09:43

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.

 <span>Jailine</span> Wed, 02/13/2019 - 11:58
how many times a week should i water my plant?
<span>Hopflower</span> Sun, 02/24/2019 - 09:47
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.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 02/13/2019 - 14:16

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!

 <span>Rajul Kambuj</span> Sun, 02/25/2018 - 02:48
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.
<span>Dawn</span> Tue, 09/12/2017 - 13:45
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?
<span>Sheryl</span> Thu, 06/15/2017 - 16:35
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?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 06/16/2017 - 15:57

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 1/2 mature size.

 <span>Tiffany Keeler</span> Mon, 06/05/2017 - 09:25
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!