How to Grow Peas
Right before we left for our trip The Girl and I planted our peas. Normally we plant our peas on St. Patrick’s Day but this year we thought we’d try to get a jump start on the growing season and plant them a little early.
This year we planted sugar snap peas, snow peas and green arrow peas. Sugar snap peas are plump and crunchy and are great for snacking and in stir fry, while snow peas are flat and typically harvested before the pea gets very large. Green Arrow pea pods are not edible but the peas are perfect for canning and freezing.
Where to Plant Peas:
Peas are a cool weather crop. They need full sun in early spring. Sugar Snap and Snow peas need a trellis or pole to climb and typically get anywhere from 3-6′ tall {depending on the variety}, so keep that in mind when you choose a location.
Green arrow peas typically do not need to be trellised because they only grow about 2′ tall. They are best grown in raised or garden beds.
Planting Seeds:
Plant seeds 1″ deep {every 2″ if you are sowing directly outside}. You will not need to thin them.
Growing Tips:
Peas like rich soil with good drainage. They do not do well in the heat, so plan them as an late spring/early summer harvest. Provide them with a trellis or pole to climb.
How to Harvest:
To harvest, cut peas off at the top of the pea {hold the other side of the vine so as not to damage it during harvest}. Do not let them get overripe or they take on a starchy flavor and stop producing.
Are you ready to start your garden but you’re not sure when you should plant your seeds or set out your transplants? Head on over HERE and you’ll be taken to a handy dandy chart that is broken down into what vegetables should be planted {or transplanted} each month in your area.
Anyone can do this. Dirt + Seeds+ Water = Food!
~Mavis
Here are a few of my Favorite Pea recipes:
Ranch Pasta Salad with Broccoli, Spinach, and Green Peas
Fresh Pea Salad with Bacon and Chives
Shauna says
Mavis you said cool weather crop. I planted some 12/1/12 and the cold killed them. I planted new one 3/1/13 but now it’s 100 degrees. I think I must plant them in October ??? I wish there was a real planting chart/time for plants where I live Palm Springs,CA
Dawna M. says
Our ground is still frozen solid. As soon as we thaw out here in Iowa, I’ll be planting them.
Robin says
Shauna according to the USDA hardiness zone maps you are in zone 8a-9b.
http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-california-usda-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php
I hope this helps you I feel your frustration. I have tried broccoli twice so far and both times it has bolted. I’m not giving up now I just sow seeds from Sept through March like a veggie science experiment one day I am going to harvest broccoli.
Robin in SoCal says
Shauna and Robin, I planted broccoli Nov 3rd and today have 2-3 inch heads on my plants. I am in zone 9b. I also planted peas a few weeks after the broccoli and we’ve been harvesting them now for a few weeks. I hope this helps. My philosophy is since we live in Southern California I try to grow all year long. My tatsoi is bolting 🙁
Kitty Sarkozy says
My pea plants just started coming up yesterday, but I am afraid I planted to late for here. It will be in the 80s and 90 within just a few months, it was in the mid 70s this weekend.
Jennifer says
Looks like Lucy is helping you a little too much. I, too, have that help as well in the form of two dogs and a cat.
Mavis says
Ha! 🙂
Lisa says
I plant only Cascadia snap peas, and use them in for stir-fries in the pods, and let them fully form for shelling. One kind of pea for all your pea eating needs!
I am planting mine today. I always plant them in late Feb., direct seeded.
You don’t mention inoculant, but peas benefit from it. Toss damp peas in it before planting.
Diana says
We actually ate peas from the vine today. The first few didn’t make it into the house they were so good. I am on my third planting of three different varieties this year. It has been a warm winter and we have had to water quite a bit even for Southern California. All the trees are in bloom, apples are already forming, strawberries are gorgeous, and I even have one tomato plant from last year still producing!
Michele says
Do you use legume inoculant?
Barbara Harvey says
“Green Arrow pea pods are not edible but the peas are perfect for canning and freezing.” Ok am I missing something here? Why would you can or freeze Green Arrow peas if they are not edible?
Kevin Wilson says
The peas are edible – they are shelling peas, the kind you get in a package of frozen peas. It’s only the pods that are not.
Brenda Small says
The pods (outer shell) are not edible
Kevin Wilson says
There are snow pea and snap pea varieties that don’t grow tall, eg Oregon Sugar Pod, Oregon Giant snow peas and Cascadia, Sugar Ann snap peas. Likewise, if you prefer to grow tall vines, there are many shelling peas (same type as the Green Arrow variety) that grow tall eg Tall Telephone (also known as Alderman).
There’s also a wide spread of maturity dates between pea varieties, from 65 to 100 or more days-to-maturity. So you can plant a really fast variety like Meteor (that isn’t a very heavy yielder) to give you your earliest crop, then a longer-maturing but heavier yielding variety to come in a bit later.
The most important tip I know for pea growers is to plant LOTS of seed. Never mind single rows with plants spaced out: instead, plant a band, 6″ wide, with peas spaced about 2″ apart all over within the band. The pea plants do not mind being close together, they help to support each other, and you get far more peas per square foot.
Kevin the pea maniac
Brenda Small says
Thanks