How to Grow Peas
Instruction & Advice for Growing Pea Plants
in Your Vegetable Garden
| Nutrition | Watering Instructions | Harvesting |
| Climate | Fertilizing Instructions | Storage |
| Soil | Challenges | Tips |
| Planting |
Peas are grown as a vegetable for their pods and for their seeds. Garden peas are grown for the round seed. Snow peas and sugar snap peas are grown for their pods. Tender leaflets can be used in salads. Most peas are climbing plants, but there are also dwarf varieties available. Dwarf peas do not need a trellis to grow, but they do need some form of support. Try gardening with a trellis for pea varieties that climb, to make harvesting this vegetable much easier.
Gardening Advice Tip: Consider reviewing the companion planting guide when picking a location for the pea patch in your garden.
Nutrition Information:(back to top)
Under optimal growing conditions, peas offer: Chromium, Potassium, Zinc, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Vitamin C, B6, Thiamin, Niacin, Magnesium, Folate, Phosphorus
Climate & Growing Conditions: (back to top)
Peas will grow in nearly any climate. Planting should be kept to cool months. However, be watchful for frost when gardening this vegetable. Pea flowers and pods can be damaged by frost, so if you expect a frost, cover your plants overnight to protect them and other tender plants in your garden. (I keep old sheets on hand for just this purpose!)
Peas will grow well in direct sunlight or partial shade.
How to Prepare the Garden Soil: (back to top)
Prepare your gardening beds with with plenty of organic matter (compost, well-rotted manure), and make sure they are well drained. Your pea patch will grow best in soil with a pH of between 6.0 or 7.0. (Instructions for testing your garden soil pH level)
Rotate your pea crops around the garden from year to year. Pea crops fix nitrogen in the soil, which can cause problems for future pea crops in the same location. After harvesting, dig the whole plant back into the soil for green manure fertilizer.
How to Plant Peas: (back to top)
Plant peas in your garden as early in the spring as the soil can be worked. Sow the seeds directly into the garden soil. Plant them 2” deep, and 2” apart in rows. The rows should be 2’ apart for optimal growth. Fill trenches with soil and lightly firm the soil.
Be careful not to water too much or the seeds can rot. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy.
Gardening Advice Tip: Birds love tender pea shoots. You can protect the growing seedlings from birds with netting over the plants.
For a longer harvest period, plant an additional crop of peas every 2 or 3 weeks (called succession planting).
How to Water: (back to top)
Don’t water on top of the top of the mature leaves and flowers. Instead, water at soil level or irrigate.
Gardening Challenges: (back to top)
You can prevent most problems with this vegetable crop by rotating the location of your pea patch in your garden from year to year. Otherwise, your crop may experience diseases such as foot rot, pod, or leaf rot. If you see blackish streaks on the stems, this indicates plant disease.
NOTE: If you find any diseased plants while gardening, DO NOT compost them or put them back into your garden soil (green compost). This can cause the disease to spread in your garden. Instead, it's better to dispose of the diseased plants (burning them is the preferred method).
Peas are also sometimes succeptible to aphids or grubs.
How to Harvest Peas:(back to top)
Pick this vegetable when the pods are full and about 2 or 3” long.
Pick peas often, from the bottom of the plant first (working your way up the plant as the season goes on). If you harvest this way (never leaving ripe pea pods on the vine), your pea garden will keep producing and you will have a longer harvest and a better yield. Peas can get tough if left to over-mature, so it is better to harvest them when smaller.
How to freeze Peas (back to top)
Shell peas, wash and blanch for 1 minute. Chill peas in iced water for 1 minute. Drain peas, spread on tray in single layer and freeze for 30 minutes. Pack peas into freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Freeze peas for up to 6 months.
How to Dehydrate / Dry Peas (back to top)
Remove peas from the pods. Steam blanch for 3 minutes and drain. Dry at 100 degrees (F) for 12 hours or until brittle. To rehydrate dried peas, soak in hot water for 30 minutes and drain. No need to rehydrate if using in soups.
Canning Peas (back to top)
NOTE: This is only a guideline. If not canned properly very dangerous (life-threatening) bacteria can grow undetected in your jars. Be sure to follow standard sanitation and canning procedures, as outlined in your canning cookbook or by your local county extension office. Also, follow your specific canner's manufacturer's instructions. Your local county extension office may also be able to test your pressure cooker's gauge for accuracy.
Note: processing time given is for at sea level. If you're above sea level, the cooking time will be longer. Again, check with your local county extension office for conversion rates for your area, to ensure that you're producing a safe canned food product.
Remove peas from the pods, wash and drain. Pack loosely into hot jars, leaving 1" of space at the top of the jar. Add 1/2 tsp salt for pint jars, 1 tsp salt for quart jars. Fill jar with boiling water, leaving 1" of space at the top of the jar. Use a rubber spatula to remove air bubbles. Add sterilized caps and process at 10 lbs pressure for 40 minutes.
NOTE: Be sure to follow your pressure cooker's manufacturer supplied instructions for safety.
Follow your canning cookbook's instructions for removing, cooling and storing the jars.
Gardening Advice Tips (back to top)
Have a helpful gardening tip (or even a fun story) to share about your peas growing experience? Share it with us at: gardeningtips@howtogardenadvice.com
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