How to Grow Garden Peas from Seed
Growing peas from seed is such a rewarding garden task. Peas grown at home are so fresh and tasty and like nothing you will find at the store. Once you grow them for the first time, I am confident you will continue growing them for years. Learning how to grow garden peas from seed is quick, easy, and super yummy.
Most of our peas we grow do not make it into the house. They are a crop that is best fresh eaten in my opinion, so most of the time you will find us snacking on the peas that we pick right off the garden fence.
When I grow peas, I make sure that I plant them where anyone can stop and pick them. They grow on the fence that goes around the garden so my family doesn’t even have to step foot through the gate if they are short on time. Or I can pick them while working inside the garden and want a quick snack.
Neighbors and friends can also just reach out and pick one while we are having a conversation in the yard. Peas really are a great treat for anyone that comes to your home if you plant them in the right spot.
What Types of Pea Seeds Should I Get?
It is important to pay attention to the types of pea seeds you get. There are three different types. All three types also come in a variety of sizes in relation to the vines. Most peas grow tall and need a trellis, but some are have a low profile and do not need a trellis. Pay attention to this part on the seed packet so you can plan for the correct space for growing peas.
snap peas
These are the types of peas that we grow for the most part. They are sweet, plump, and have edible seed pods. Snap peas are the best for eating fresh off the vine. They can be eaten whole and raw or cooked.
snow peas
Snow peas are also good right off the vine. They are also sweet with an edible pod but are flat instead of plump. They are good, but lack the massive crunch I love. Snow peas are used a lot in Asian cooking and freeze well.
shelling peas
These are the types of peas that you take out of the shell and just eat the pea seed you take out of the pod. You can grow these to eat fresh off the vine, but that’s not as good of use for your space since you need to take the shell off to eat the peas.
People usually plant several rows of shelling peas to pick and then shell to freeze or can for preservation. They take a lot of plants and space in your garden to get much of a harvest worth preserving. We have not grown shelling peas on a large scale, but I would like to take the room in the garden one of these years and do that.
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When to Plant Peas
Peas are a cool season crop and like the spring and early summer weather best.
They are also one of the first seeds I get into the ground as soon as it can be worked after the grounds thaw and the snow recedes. Depending on your soil, this can be 4-6 weeks before the last spring frost. For me this is anytime in the month of April. I like planting as soon as I can, but usually don’t get all the peas in right away. But that’s ok because it spreads out the harvest a bit if I spread out the planting in April.
You want to make sure your soil isn’t too wet, but it is ok if you still expect snow or frost. Peas can handle either of those. You don’t want super soggy soil, though, because your peas might rot in the ground before they germinate. Germination typically takes 7-14 days depending on the temperature.
Some climates are perfect for a summer sowing of peas for a fall harvest. We get too cold and do not have great luck with growing fall peas, but you might try it out in your area.
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How to Eat Peas
If you have peas that make it inside the house, you can add them to salads, stir fries (in the last few minutes of cooking so they stay a bit crisp), or add them to a veggie tray with a good dip.
Peas can also be frozen for later eating after a quick blanch.
How To Grow Peas in Your Garden
- As soon as the soil is workable in your garden, direct sow the seeds in the soil. Ideal germination temperatures are between 55 and 65 degrees, with the ability to germinate in a bit colder or warmer range. But it will take a bit longer to germinate in lower temps.
- I like to dig a shallow row of an inch deep and plop the seeds down in the row. That way I can see how far apart they are. You can also just set them out in a line and use your finger to push them down an inch in the soil.
- Seeds should be planted 1″ to 3″ apart, but I usually squish them in on the close side.
- If you are planting your seeds in the summer (July/August) for a fall harvest, you might want to plant them a bit deeper at 2″ so that they stay cooler under the soil while they germinate.
Care of the Pea Plants
Peas are not heavy feeders and can actually work to fix or add nitrogen to the soil. Because they produce their own nitrogen, you will not need to fertilize your pea plants. In fact, if you do fertilize, you will probably end up with beautiful lush foliage with few pea pods. That is not what you want.
Even though peas are cool loving plants, they will need to have 6-8+ hours of sunlight a day. They can tolerate some afternoon shade, but do not want a full day of shade.
Water Needs: I rarely water my peas because we get so much rain in the early garden season of April and May. However, if you do not get a lot of rain, make sure you water regularly especially during flowering and pod development. If not, the plant may be stressed and not produce as well.
Most pea varieties need to have a trellis to grow on. But like I said before, there are some low growing peas that do not need to be trellised, so check your seed packet. We have grown many varieties trying to find our favorites. They have all been planted along our garden fence. Some varieties don’t even reach half way up the fence while others could use a trellis twice as tall as the fence is.
Once you see mature peas, harvest them and then keep harvesting so the plants produce more peas.
Our Favorite Pea Varieties
We get a lot of our seeds through Johnny’s Seeds (not an affiliate) and Berlin Seeds (also not an affiliate) They both have a great selection of pea seeds. We also love True Leaf Market for seeds and all the links below are for them.
snap peas
We have grown a lot of different varieties of snap peas. I like trying new things and I am also not great at making sure the tags stay in the garden. Therefore I do not have great data of all our favorites. But I do know some we have really enjoyed.
snow
Same goes for above. A few years ago I ordered a bunch of peas from Harris seeds on a discount and we loved a few of the varieties, but they don’t carry them anymore! Here are some we have enjoyed.
Colorful Flowering Types
We have grown several varieties that have a beautiful purple/pink flower that brings so much joy and beauty to the garden. I usually plant a small area of these because while beautiful, they haven’t been as tasty in our experience. But why not save a spot for some whimsy in your garden? These Purple Magnolia sure do look pretty growing.
There’s a quiet kind of magic in growing peas — small seeds becoming sweet green rewards, reminding us that the simplest garden joys are often the most satisfying.
Need more info on starting seeds? Hop over here for more details on indoor and outdoor seed sowing.
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