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How to Grow Peas

easyGardeningseasonal8 steps

Safety Warnings

  • Avoid planting in the same location more than once every four years to maintain soil health

Tools Needed

Trellis — Suitable for pole peas and bush peas above 2 feet
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Pea sticks — Thin tree branches or twiggy sticks
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Chicken wire/netting — Stretched along the row and supported on strong stakes
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Biodegradable pots — Used for transplanting to avoid disturbing roots
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Knife — Used to sharpen branch bases for sticking into ground
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Cold frame — Optional for starting seeds
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Materials

Aged manure/compost — Mixed into soil during preparation(As needed)
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Phosphorus and Potassium fertilizer — Avoid excess nitrogen to prevent foliage growth over pods(As needed)
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Powdered sulphur — Used to treat mildew whitish mold(As needed)
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Potassium-sulphide solution — Mixed with resin fish-oil soap for mildew treatment(As needed)
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Steps

1
Select a sunny location with well-draining, fertile loamy soil. Prepare soil in the fall by mixing in aged manure or compost and mulching well.
Tip: Peas fix nitrogen in the soil, benefiting future plants.
2
Soak seeds in water overnight before planting to speed up germination.
Tip: Direct-seeding is preferred as peas do not like their roots disturbed.
3
Sow seeds 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost. Plant 1 inch deep (deeper if soil is dry) and 2 inches apart in rows 7 inches apart.
Tip: Traditional planting occurs on St. Patrick's Day.
1" 2" apart Sow seed Pea seed Sowing depth and spacing for early spring planting
4
Water regularly to keep the soil moist. If seeds wash out of the soil, poke them back in.
Tip: Plant in raised beds if spring is long and wet.
5
Install supports such as trellises, netting, or twiggy sticks before plants establish shallow roots.
Tip: Pole types need support for heights of 4 to 6 feet.
Install support Trellis top Young pea Side view · Place supports early to protect shallow root systems
6
Perform 'suckering' by removing side shoots that appear in the axils of the leaves at the base of the plant.
Tip: This concentrates plant vigor into producing ears/pods.
Remove sucker Main stem Axil node Suckering: Pinch off side shoots at leaf axils to boost pod production
7
Monitor for mildew (whitish mold) on leaves and pods; treat with powdered sulphur or a potassium-sulphide solution.
Tip: Add resin fish-oil soap to the spray to help it stick to leaves.
8
Harvest pods when they are bright green, young, and tender.
Tip: Snap peas are harvested when the edible round pods are tender.

Pro Tips

  • Do not thin the plants.
  • Avoid excess nitrogen fertilizer, as it encourages foliage growth instead of flowers or pods.
  • Companion plants include chives, mint, alyssum, carrot, corn, cucumber, radish, turnip, and beans.
  • A second round of peas can be planted 6 to 8 weeks before the first fall frost date.

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Sources

Synthesized from 3 verified sources:

Old Farmer's AlmanacView →
Gutenberg: War Gardens GuideView →
GrowstuffView →