Growing peas in your garden is a rewarding and relatively straightforward endeavor. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a novice with a green thumb, cultivating peas offers a delightful experience and a tasty reward. In this guide, we’ll take you through the step-by-step process of growing peas from seed to harvest.
Step 1: Preparing the Ground
Soil Rich in Organic Matter, Free Draining
Peas thrive in well-draining soil rich in organic matter. Ensure your garden bed is prepared with compost or well-rotted manure to provide the necessary nutrients for optimal growth.
Pollinator Plants Nearby
Consider planting pollinator-friendly flowers near your pea patch. Peas benefit from pollinators like bees to help with pollination, leading to better pea pod development.
Step 2: Sowing – Indoors or Outdoors
Peas can either be sown indoors or outdoors anytime from October through to April.
Indoor sown peas will benefit from the warmth to get them started, making the plants grow bigger more quickly. However there are risks when transplanting them. Peas do not like root disturbance. The shock of being transplanted can inhibit growth and make the plants more vulnerable to damage.
Peas sown outdoors will take longer to establish as it is colder. The young plants will be more at risk from slugs, mice and pigeon damage. However once established they will grow without disturbance.
I usually plant some indoors and some outdoors, as they will be ready for harvest at different times. It also means that I am not putting all my eggs in one basket.
Indoor sowing
Use Biodegradable Pots
To minimize root disturbance during transplanting, start your pea seeds indoors using biodegradable pots. Toilet rolls, newspaper pots, or commercially available biodegradable options work well.
The Process
- Fill pots with a good-quality seed compost.
- Sow pea seeds about 2 inches apart and cover them with a thin layer of compost.
- Water gently and place pots in a sunny location.
- Keep the soil consistently moist, and seedlings should emerge in 7-14 days.
Planting Out
Once seedlings have grown to about 2 inches tall and have developed sturdy roots, transplant them outdoors. Harden them off first.
For seeds sown in early spring, this will likely take 2 – 3 weeks.
For seeds sown earlier in the winter this may take a couple of months.
Mostly peas are planted out from early spring (late Feb onwards).
Hardening Off
Before transplanting they need to be hardened off. Which means making them a bit tougher. In a covered space the plants are not exposed to the wind and rain. Outside they are.
If plants go straight outside into the ground without hardening off they get a shock. This reduces their growth for a bit whilst they adjust. They are weaker plants in this state. And weaker plants are more likely to be attacked by slugs and snails.
Hardening off is usually done by bringing the seedlings outside to get some exposure to the elements during the day and putting them back inside at night. Usually done for 3 – 4 days before planting out.
Pro Tip A DIFFERENT HARDENING OFF METHOD. Brushing your hand lightly over the top of the growing seedlings can also work. No need to move the plants in and out. Just give them a good brush, as if you are the wind.
You will notice that the leaves start to toughen up after a few days. I do this from when the plants are small to encourage them to grow into strong, tough plants which are more likely to survive outside.
If possible choose a mild, overcast day to plant out.
Sowing Outdoors
If sowing directly outdoors, create holes or drills in the prepared soil. Plant pea seeds about 5cm (2 inch) apart and 5cm deep and cover them with soil. Water well after planting.
As I operate a no dig system in my garden I tend to plant in holes rather than in drills, as I am always looking for ways to minimise disturbance to the soil. Either works.
Outdoor sown peas are most usually sown in early spring. It will take around 7 – 21 days for the peas to emerge, depending on the soil temperature.
To make the soil warmer and to help the seeds to germinate more quickly a fleece protects the young plants from frost.
Step 3: Caring for Your Pea Plants
Mulch
Apply a layer of organic mulch or compost around your pea plants to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and maintain a consistent soil temperature.
Support – Trellis/Strings
As your pea plants grow, provide support using trellises or strings. This helps prevent sprawling and ensures the plants grow upward. Peas will produce flowers and fruits if they are growing upwards, if left to grow horizontally they will not flower and fruit well.
Step 4: Harvest
Harvest time depends on the type of peas you’re growing. Sugar snaps and mange tout are best picked when the pods are still flat and the peas inside are just beginning to form. Full-podded peas are ready when the pods are plump, and the peas inside are well-developed.
Peas can be easily picked by hand by removing the whole pod from the growing plant.
Harvest regularly as this encourages the plant to produce more flowers and fruits.
Common Problems
Peas are generally very easy to grow, and tend to grow well in the UK climate. There are two main problems associated with peas:
Damage to Young Plants
When they are just emerging is when the plants are most vulnerable to attack from slugs. There are lots of ways to protect plants from slugs including using copper tape, beer traps, and night time culls.
Personally I have always had the most success with physically removing slugs through night-time, or during the rain culls. When the weather is wet, the slugs and snails come out. This is when I harvest them and remove them from my vegetable beds. I aim to get rid of some, but not all of the slugs.
Slugs are only a problem when things are out of balance and there are too many of them. Slugs have a function in the ecosystem to break down organic matter.
I also plant extra peas, knowing that I will lose some.
Mice and pigeons can also be a pest at this early stage, digging out and eating the young seeds. Barriers such as netting can keep these pests away.
Remember to always observe what is going on in your garden, you may not have problems from all of these pests depending on where you are!
Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew happens to older pea plants when the leaves start to get a mildew on them. Avoid planting peas too closely together to reduce the risk of powdery mildew. Provide adequate spacing for air circulation between plants.
FAQ
Can you eat the entire pea plant?
No, you typically don’t eat the entire pea plant.
However, the young, tender shoots and leaves are edible and can be used in salads or as a garnish. The more of the emerging shoots that you harvest to eat the less the pea plant and therefore pods will grow.
The main focus is usually on the pea pods (for varieties like snap peas and snow peas) or the peas themselves (for varieties with fully developed peas). The mature plant, including the vines, is not commonly consumed.
I usually grow some peas for shoots and harvest them regularly to keep the plant at the young tender stage. And grow separate plants for peas.
Do pea plants come back every year?
Most pea plants are annuals, meaning they complete their life cycle within one growing season. They germinate from seeds, grow, produce peas, and then die. However, some perennial pea varieties do exist, such as the sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus). These are often grown as ornamental flowering plants and may return each year under the right conditions.
How to grow peas in pots?
Growing peas in pots is a convenient option, especially for those with limited space. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Select a Suitable Pot: Choose a container that is at least 30cm, 12 inches deep to accommodate the pea roots. Make sure it has drainage holes to prevent waterlogging.
- Use Quality Potting Mix: Fill the pot with a well-draining potting mix, preferably enriched with organic matter.
- Sow Pea Seeds: Plant pea seeds about 5cm, 2 inches apart and 2 to 5cm, 1 to 2 inches deep in the soil. Water the soil thoroughly after planting.
- Provide Support: As the pea plants grow, install a trellis or stakes to support the vines. Peas are climbers and need something to latch onto.
- Sunlight and Watering: Place the pot in a location that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. Water the peas regularly, keeping the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
- Fertilize if Needed: If your potting mix doesn’t contain fertilizer, you can feed the plants with a balanced liquid fertilizer every few weeks.
- Harvesting: Once the pea pods are mature and the peas inside have developed, harvest by gently pulling them off the vines.
By following these steps, you can successfully grow peas in pots and enjoy a fresh and homegrown harvest, even in limited space.
By following these steps and tips, you’ll be on your way to cultivating a bountiful crop of peas in your own backyard. Enjoy the process and the delicious rewards of homegrown peas!
Let me know how you get on in the comments below.