Crops › Pea
How to grow Pea
in the US
Sow March to September, plant out October, harvest May to November. About 60 days from seed to plate. You can sow it this month.
Shown for zone 6. Zone table further down.
There's nothing quite like the taste of fresh peas, picked straight from the plant. They're a proper treat, you know, sweet and crunchy. Peas are a cracking crop for beginners, pretty straightforward to grow and they give you a good reward for your effort.
Sowing
Peas are easy to start off. You want to direct sow them after your last frost date, when the soil has warmed up a bit. For folks in colder zones like 3 and 4, April or May is a good start, with another sowing in July or August for later crops. Warmer zones, say 9 or 10, can get going as early as January, even into November. Plant seeds about one inch deep and two inches apart, in rows. To be honest, I always recommend inoculating your pea seeds with nitrogen-fixing bacteria; it just gives them a proper boost for growth.
Growing on
You won't usually find pea plug plants in the stores, so direct sowing is the way to go. Once your seedlings are up, thin them to about 4 to 6 inches apart. Most varieties will need something to climb, like a sturdy trellis, netting, or even some twiggy branches shoved in the ground. They'll climb up to 6 feet sometimes, so give them plenty of support. You can grow peas in containers too, the smaller bushier types work best for that, mind.
Looking after it
Peas like consistent moisture, especially when they're flowering and forming pods, so water regularly if it's dry. Don't go mad with the fertilizer; peas actually make their own nitrogen in the soil, which is proper clever. A good mulch around the base of the plants will help keep the soil cool and moist, and keep the weeds down a bit. Just keep an eye on them through the season.
What goes wrong
Like any crop, peas can have their issues. Aphids are a common pest, but you can usually wash them off with a strong spray of water or introduce some ladybugs. Pea weevils and pea moths can be a nuisance too; covering your crop with a fine mesh netting can help keep them away. Powdery mildew can sometimes appear in humid conditions, so good air circulation helps. Just keep an eye on your plants, you know what I mean.
Harvest
Most pea varieties are ready for picking about 60 days after sowing. You'll want to pick them when the pods are plump and green, but before the peas inside get too big or starchy. Harvest regularly to encourage more production; the more you pick, the more they give you. Fresh is best, but if you have a glut, they freeze really well.
I always sow a couple of extra rows of peas just for the grandkids, they love picking and eating them straight from the pod on the plot, proper chuffed they are.
Dates for your plot
Type your zone and the plant-out advice shifts to your frost dates.
Varieties, and whether the club would grow them again
| Variety | Club verdict |
|---|---|
| Little Marvel Little Marvel variety of Pea, a reliable performer. This compact bush variety is perfect for smaller plots or container gardening, giving you a steady supply of sweet, shelled peas. | No club votes yet |
| Wando Wando variety of Pea, a reliable performer. If you're looking to get a jump start on the season, this robust variety does well when started undercover for an early harvest. | No club votes yet |
| Green Arrow Green Arrow variety of Pea, a reliable performer. This is a cracking choice for a maincrop, offering plenty of sweet peas perfect for freezing down for later. | No club votes yet |
| Maestro Maestro variety of Pea, a reliable performer. A great option if you're starting seeds undercover, providing good yields of tasty peas with a lovely flavor. | No club votes yet |
| Alderman (Tall Telephone) Alderman (Tall Telephone) variety of Pea, a reliable performer. This tall, old-fashioned variety needs good support but rewards you with a proper heavy crop of shelling peas. | No club votes yet |
| Lincoln Lincoln variety of Pea, a reliable performer. Perfect for getting an early start indoors, these peas offer a really sweet flavor and are a favorite for a reason. | No club votes yet |
| Progress No. 9 Progress No. 9 variety of Pea, a reliable performer. A solid choice for direct sowing outdoors, this variety is known for its early production of sweet, shelling peas. | No club votes yet |
| Sugar Snap Sugar Snap variety of Pea, a reliable performer. These are the classic snap peas, wonderful for eating fresh, pod and all, and great for starting undercover. | No club votes yet |
| Super Sugar Snap Super Sugar Snap variety of Pea, a reliable performer. If you love snap peas and want a big harvest, this outdoor variety gives you plenty of sweet, tender pods. | No club votes yet |
| Cascadia Cascadia variety of Pea, a reliable performer. A compact snap pea that's easy to grow undercover, giving you good yields of sweet, stringless pods. | No club votes yet |
| Sugar Ann Sugar Ann variety of Pea, a reliable performer. An early-maturing snap pea that's ideal for direct sowing outdoors, perfect for getting those first sweet pods quickly. | No club votes yet |
| Oregon Sugar Pod II Oregon Sugar Pod II variety of Pea, a reliable performer. A cracking snow pea variety that does well when started undercover, producing broad, flat, sweet pods. | No club votes yet |
| Avalanche Avalanche variety of Pea, a reliable performer. This shelling pea is a proper workhorse for outdoor growing, known for its heavy yields and good disease resistance. | No club votes yet |
| Norli Norli variety of Pea, a reliable performer. A compact and early snow pea, this one is great for undercover growing and doesn't take up too much space. | No club votes yet |
| Snowbird Snowbird variety of Pea, a reliable performer. An excellent choice for early outdoor sowing, this snow pea gives you a good crop of tender, sweet pods. | No club votes yet |
Votes are members rating varieties in their Seed Tin, one vote per gardener. Tap a variety for the full page and where to buy.
Buy Pea seeds
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Sowing by USDA zone
| Zone | Sow / plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April to July | June to September |
| Zone 4 | April to August | June to October |
| Zone 5 | March to August | May to October |
| Zone 6 | March to September | May to November |
| Zone 7 | February to September | April to November |
| Zone 8 | February to October | April to December |
| Zone 9 | January to November | March to December |
| Zone 10 | September to February | February to December |
Cook the harvest
Bright green peas and fresh mint transform a classic risotto into something that tastes unmistakably of early summer. Peas are blended into a vivid green purée that's stirred in at the end along with whole peas for contrasting texture. A generous amount of parmesan makes it rich and satisfying.
50 min · mediumA quick, elegant spring pasta that pairs sweet fresh peas with crispy prosciutto, butter, Parmesan, and a bright hit of lemon zest — a combination that has become a classic for good reason. The peas are barely cooked so they stay vivid green and pop in the mouth, while the prosciutto crisps in the pan and adds a savory, salty crunch. On the table in 25 minutes.
25 min · easyA classic Italian-American risotto where sweet peas and salty diced ham are stirred through a creamy Arborio rice base finished with parmesan and butter. The key is constant stirring and warm broth added ladle by ladle — a technique that produces the silky, flowing texture that makes a perfect risotto unlike anything else. Deeply satisfying and elegant enough for company.
40 min · mediumSalty, crispy prosciutto and sweet summer peas are one of the great Italian flavor partnerships, and this pasta dish showcases them beautifully. The prosciutto is fried until shatteringly crisp, then crumbled over a simple pasta with peas, lemon, and parmesan. Ready in 25 minutes, tastes like it took considerably longer.
30 min · easyWatch for, and grow alongside
Companions: carrots, turnips, radishes, cucumbers, corn
Questions people ask
When do you sow Pea in the US?
Sow Pea from March to September in zone 6, earlier or later by zone. Plant out October, after the last frost.
How long does Pea take from sowing to harvest?
Roughly 60 days, with the harvest May to November.
Which Pea varieties do gardeners grow again?
Club members rate every variety they grow. This page shows the grow-again votes for Little Marvel, Wando, Green Arrow, Maestro and more.
Track your Pea from packet to plate
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.
Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 3 September 2026.