Growing guide

How to Grow Peas

The first crop of spring — sweet, cool-loving, and best eaten straight off the vine.

The basics

What peas need

• Sun — Full sun to partial shade
• Water — Even moisture, especially at flowering
• Harvest in 55–70 days
• Difficulty — Easy

When to plant

Time it from your frost date

• Start indoors: Not usually needed
• Transplant: Direct-sow preferred
• Direct sow: 4–6 weeks before last frost, as soon as soil is workable
• Best in Zones 2–9 (cool seasons)

How to plant

Three steps to a strong start

• 1. Direct-sow 1 in deep as early as the soil can be worked in spring.
• 2. Provide a trellis or netting for climbing types at sowing time.
• 3. Keep soil cool and moist; mulch as the weather warms.

Common problem

Poor germination / rotting

Soil too cold and wet at sowing — well-drained soil and an inoculant help.

Common problem

Powdery mildew

Late-season in heat; grow early and choose resistant varieties.

Harvest

Picking peas right

Pick snap and snow peas when pods are bright and crisp; shell peas when pods are plump but still glossy. Daily picking keeps the vines producing.

Gardeners ask

When can I plant peas?

As soon as the soil can be worked in spring — typically 4–6 weeks before your last frost. They tolerate light frost.

Keep growing

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