How to Grow All Sorts of Peas from Seed to Harvest
Find a video version of this growing guide on my YouTube channel HERE.
I eagerly await the fall season so I can grow one of my favorite winter/spring crops - peas. All sorts of peas. They are so sweet and crunchy when fresh, nothing like grocery store peas. They taste so good raw that they often don't make it into my house because I snack on them while I'm in the garden. Plus, they are an EASY crop. They don't have too many requirements, maintenance, pests and diseases. They produce a harvest in 2-2.5 months from seed.
Cultivar Selection
⦁ Snow Peas - often used in Asian cuisine like stir-fry's. The entire pod is eaten before the peas inside swell.
⦁ Shelling Peas (English Peas) - The pods are not edible as they tend to be tough and fibrous. Instead, the sweet peas are shelled out from the pods to be eaten.
⦁ Snap Peas - this is a hybrid of snow peas and shelling peas. The entire pod is edible when the peas inside swell a little bit.
⦁ Differences between color - green, yellow, or purple. Yellow and purple are easier to find on the vines for harvest. Purple tends to not be as sweet but I feel is more heat tolerant.
⦁ Size - standard size is 7-8FT vines. There are some dwarf varieties that get around 5FT.
⦁ All of them will need something to climb on. The taller the trellis, the more production you will get.
If you need seeds check out my website www.jerrasgarden.com for the same ones I grow and that do well in my garden.
Site Selection
Determine where your going to grow the peas because this will dictate if you can grow full size cultivars or maybe you will need to pick a dwarf variety.
⦁ Sun light - Pick a spot that gets a solid 6 hours of sunlight. In warmer zones, try and find a spot that gets a lot of morning sun with some afternoon shade.
⦁ Soil - Peas like soil heavy in organic matter and kind of loose. They are not too happy in sandy soil, but it is possible if you maintain consistent water.
⦁ Peas can be grown in pots/containers. They have very shallow root systems, so focus on a container that is more wide than deep. You can build a "teepee" over the top of the container with bamboo sticks or a tomato cage. Pick a dwarf variety if your growing in containers.
⦁ What vertical structure are you going to use? The taller the better.
When to Sow Seeds
You will need to know your average last spring frost date. Check out www.plantmaps.com to get an idea of your average last spring frost date.
⦁ Zones 1-7 sow the seeds 6 weeks before your last spring frost date. They can withstand light frosts and even some snow.
⦁ Zones +8 sow seeds in late fall. They need 4 months in a row of cool temperatures. For zones +8 that's fall, winter, and spring. If they are growing in hot conditions, they get stunted in growth. Therefore, check plantmaps.com and find the first month in fall when the max average high temperature finally falls below 80F.
⦁ My garden as an example - average max temperatures finally fall below 80F during the months of November thru March. I start direct sowing seeds in November and start harvesting in January. By the end of February, its getting too hot and my pea plants start to die. Areas with mild winters have a very short window to grow these crops. The goal is to harvest before temperatures exceed 80F, which for me is April.
***Extra tip for you *** Did you know that the tips/shoots of pea vines are edible and taste almost more delicious than the peas themselves? Pinch off the new growth tips, at about 2-3 inches long, right above a leaf node. The plant will grow new branches at this leaf node. You can add the tips to soups, stir-fries, or eat raw in salads.
Now that they are growing
⦁ Water Requirements - They do not like to grow in dry conditions. They are shallow rooted, so monitor well since the top layers of soil dry out quickly. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Too much water can cause root rot, while too little water can cause the pods to be tough and stringy.
⦁ Fertilizing - no need to fertilize. Peas pull nitrogen from the air and affix into the soil. Therefore, it is a great idea to plant leafy greens (lettuce) around the base of pea crops. Too much nitrogen fertilizer promotes leafy green growth instead of flower and pea production.
⦁ Pruning - Pea plants do not require pruning, but you can pinch off the tips of the plants once they reach the top of the trellis to encourage side growth and more pods.
Pests
There are not too many pest or disease issues when growing peas during the correct time of year.
⦁ Aphids - They tend to attack the pea tips. Spray them off with water. Usually aphids are an ant problem so treat for the ants. Spray with peppermint, rosemary, or neem oil. Plant lots of trap crops like nasturtiums, southern peas, and kale.
Diseases
⦁ If leaves look burnt, brown, or dried out - the weather is too hot or the peas are not getting enough water.
⦁ Leaf diseases such as mildew, blight, or leaf spots can occur. Spray with 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide (3%) per gallon of water.
Harvest
This will vary depending on the type of pea your growing. Typically they start producing in 60-70 days from direct sowing the seeds. Harvest frequently. The more you harvest the more flowers and peas the plants will produce.
⦁ Snow Peas - harvest before the seeds swell inside, while the pods are still flat.
⦁ Shelling Peas - For fresh peas, harvest once the peas are swollen inside the pod but before the pod dries out. Or allow the entire pod to dry out to save for dried storage peas.
⦁ Snap Peas - harvest when peas have swollen inside and the pod is still green. Harvest before the pods dry out, get hard or feel bumpy/rough.
After harvest storage
⦁ Will last in the fridge for 2 weeks. Wash them, can even soak in water with vinegar to kill any bacteria etc... Allow them to air dry 100% before storing in a bag with a piece of paper towel to absorb extra moisture.
⦁ Can par boil or blanch, then freeze individually.
⦁ Shelling peas are good for canning recipes.