Why You Should Be Growing Fresh Garden Peas and How to Get Started

You can soak peas for 8 to 12 hours before planting. This allows them to absorb water quicker than sitting in moist soil. But peas will also sprout without presoaking.

Plant peas at a depth of 1 inch and space 2 inches apart. 
Press the soil firmly around the seeds and water thoroughly. You shouldn’t have to water again until they start to sprout in 6 to 10 days.

Have your supports ready, as the plants will grow quickly, sending out tendrils to help them climb. 

To extend your harvest, do succession planting. Every 2 weeks, plant some more peas. That way, you will have a longer harvest. Read here for more specifics on succession planting.

Once your peas are planted, you can sow radishes and carrots next to them. And when the peas start flowering, you can plant cucumbers. By the time the peas are finished, the cucumbers can grow up the same supports.

Plant peas in early spring as soon as the ground has warmed up to 45ºF.

Sow peas directly into the garden 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost. (For a fall harvest, sow peas outdoors in late summer.)

Peas will grow best in cool weather. So, the best time to plant peas will be determined by your local weather.  

Peas have moderate watering needs. An inch of water a week is usually sufficient. Once they start flowering, make sure the plants are getting enough water, as this is a critical growing time. 

The ideal temperature for growing peas is 68º to 77º. This temperature will give the best yields. However, when temperatures rise over 86º, peas will have poor pollination and rapidly over-mature. 

Peas only produce for 2 to 3 weeks. So consider succession planting for a more extended harvest season.

Pick peas every day or every other day to keep them producing. You will also want to check frequently because they grow fast. Peas ripen on the bottom of the plant first, so check your plants from the bottom to the top.

As soon as peas are picked, they start converting the plant sugars into starch. That’s why you’ll never eat a pea that tastes as good as the one you just picked.

Once picked, you can store peas in the fridge (I prefer a zip-top bag) to keep them fresh. But again, they are best eaten the same day since they immediately start losing their sugar content.

You can also eat raw pea tendrils and shoots. Just leave enough tendrils for the peas to stay connected to the supports as they climb. If you like pea tendrils, try growing our pea microgreens.

There are 3 kinds of peas to sow in your garden. 

While they can all be planted the same way, knowing which kind of pea you are growing will help you harvest at the right time. 

English peas are also called garden peas. These are the ones where the pods are discarded, and you eat the peas inside. Garden peas are harvested when the peas have grown to full size, and the pods are still bright green. Once the pods look dull and dry or start turning brown, they are past their prime for eating.

Sugar snap peas have crisp edible pods with full-size peas inside. These are delicious to eat while you wander through the garden on a cool spring morning. Sugar snap peas can be harvested at any time before the peas are fully mature. Some gardeners like to have bigger peas inside, and others prefer the peas to be less developed.

Snow peas also have edible pods, but the peas are still young and flat. They are often added to salads and stir-fries. 

When your peas have finished growing, cut the plants off at the ground level and leave the roots in the ground to increase nitrogen levels in the soil for your next crop.

Peas are such a healthy vegetable to grow for both your body and your garden soil. So plant some peas in your garden to enjoy an easy harvest of the freshest flavor you can’t get anywhere else.