How To Grow Peas

You can grow either bush or climbing types, we found the climbing peas to be the best in our garden as it takes the garden vertical which is a bonus for the small veggie patch.We found peas a prolific grower and gave us wonderful yields in our small vegetable garden.

You can also grow peas that you will shell, blanch and freeze for later use or you can grow edible pod peas (mangetout/snow/snap) which you can eat fresh or steamed, pods and all.

How to grow peas – planting
Peas are a cool season vegetable which means you will begin to plant them during autumn to early spring. In snow fall areas you can plant before and after snow falls. Start as always with lots of compost in your area where you plan to sow your peas. Do not add nitrogen based fertilizers as they will cause poor flowering.

Sow open pollinated heirloom seed directly into the soil in rows about 4 cm apart about 3 cm deep. Make your rows about 20 cm apart. Do not over water but do make sure the soil is damp until germination.

How to grow peas – long term care

For climbing pea plants you will need to give them some form of trellis system. Their fine tendrils need a relatively small diameter stake to climb up.

We used old metal stakes on the outer end of the row with green garden wire pulled taut across the width from pole to pole.

Harvesting peas

The more you pick the more they flower. Remember to save some of the seed for next seasons planting if you started with heirloom seeds. Anywhere from 2 – 3 months after sowing you can begin to harvest. Obviously this will depend on the type you plant – if you want to shell the peas, then allow the pods to get swollen. If you want to eat them in their pods, harvest them while they are still small and sweet.

Do not tug the pods off the plant, use a sharp pair of scissors to snip them off at the stalk.