Growing Peas: How To Plant, Grow, And Harvest Peas

Peas, please! There’s nothing like the taste of sweet, fresh peas straight from the garden. They’re the first crop to harvest in the spring, and with just a little care, you can enjoy these delicious green gems before the summer heat kicks in. Whether you’re growing snap peas, snow peas, or sweet peas, our comprehensive guide will show you how to sow, grow, and harvest your best crop yet.

About Peas

Peas are easy to grow, but their growing period is limited. It’s essential to plant them early enough in spring so they mature while the weather is still cool! (This means planting in most parts of the United States and Canada in February, March, or April.) However, they can also be grown as a fall or winter crop in warmer regions.

Peas do not stay fresh long after harvest, so enjoy their taste as soon as possible! Those peas in grocery stores are often starchy in taste, which you’ll find has no comparison to garden-fresh peas.

Three varieties of peas suit most garden and culinary needs:

• Sweet peas, aka garden peas or English peas (Pisum sativum ssp. sativum), have inedible pods from which the seeds (peas) are taken.
• Snow peas (P. sativum var. macrocarpon) produce edible, flat, stringless pods containing small peas.
• Snap peas (P. sativum var. macrocarpon ser. cv.) produce thick, edible pods containing large/full-size peas.

Great planting companions for peas include: Chives, Mint, Alyssum, Carrot, Corn, Cucumber, Radish, Turnip, and Beans. Learn more about Companion Planting.

Video Demo: Growing Peas from Sowing to Harvest

Learn all about growing peas in our video demonstration, and then see the instructions in the guide below.