Peas

Selection and Planting

Pea Varieties

Peas come in a number of different types (shelling, snow, sugar snap) with variations within each.  Some varieties grow better on a trellis, while others are able to support themselves.  Read the plant description for details on how the plant is bred to grow.

Planting

Peas in Rose Tree Garden can be grown as direct seeding from seeds purchased from reputable garden centers.  Even with new gardeners, direct sowing is simple.

Plants should be planted as early in the garden as possible.  This will enable the plants to mature before the temperature increases and the plant dies.  For fall plantings, seeds should be sown around August 1st to allow enough time for the plant mature before the end of the season.

Pea seeds should be planted 1-1.5 inches apart in rows 16 inches apart for bush type peas and 4 feet for the trellised type.  If using a trellis, be sure to sow the seed after the trellis is installed.

Growing Peas

Pests

All varieties of garden peas grown at Rose Tree Garden have not been shown to attract pest insects.

Diseases

Peas can be susceptible to diseases including powdery mildew.  Disease issues generally form on weak plants with uneven soil moisture and inadequate ventilation.  Regularly monitor the health of your plants and be quick to act when issues are discovered.  Below is a list of three steps you can take to improve your chance of growing healthy pea plants

  1. Plant spacing: Pea plants are supposed to be planted close together in rows, but when the rows are not properly spaced, humidity near the leaves may increase due to air not being able to move between the plants.  Making sure to provide plenty of space between the rows to improve airflow and reduce the likelihood of disease
  2. Watering: Avoid directly spraying the leaves of the plant as this may increase the spread of disease.  If you must wet the leaves, do so in the morning so the leaves will dry quickly in the sunlight.
  3. Crop rotation: A number of plant diseases come from a slow buildup in the soil over a period of time.  Crop rotation (not growing plants in the same place every year) will keep the amount of soil disease low.  Every year, move your plants to a different part of your garden.

Watering

Peas grow well when the soil is evenly moist.  When grown in the spring, supplemental watering is usually not necessary.  But when grown in the fall, regularly check the moisture levels of the plant through the help of the Rose Tree Garden Weather Data.  Water your plants when the soil moisture decreases or the garden has not received at least 1″ of rainfall in the past week.

Weed Control

Keep area under pea plants clear of weeds to prevent competition.  Use a combination of gardening hoes and hand weeding to remove weeds that grow next to your peas.  Reduce the weed pressure by following our Weed Prevention suggestions.

Harvesting

Harvesting of peas depends on the variety grown.  Snow peas should be picked when the pods have been filled with the contained peas.  Snow peas should be picked when the pod reaches the size indicated on the package and before the peas begin enlarging.  Use these indicators only as guidelines though and harvest pods at the state of ripeness you enjoy the most.

During the peak growing season, peas will mature quickly and may require you to visit the plot every day or two.