Progress No. 9
Pea in the US

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.

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.