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Pisum sativum
Garden Peas
| Tender, succulent pea pods and fresh garden Peas command top market prices, but are easy to grow an mature rapidly during cool weather in spring and fall. Peas are classified into three categories. Snow Peas produce sweet, thin, flat pods that are eaten whole before Peas form. Use these in Chinese cooking or, along with Sugar Peas, in salads. Eat Sugar Peas' rounder pods very young, as Peas just start to form, or when more mature. Harvest firm, mature Garden Pea pods before they start to shrivel and turn yellow, and shell for fresh peas or dry for storage. Black-eyed peas are, in fact, from a separate genus but are treated like a dry pea. Some varieties are harvested at all times. When in doubt, harvest earlier than later. Peas lose their sweetness after harvest, so eat immediately. Support tall, vining Peas on a trellis, wire netting or fence. Dwarf varieties do not need staking, but produce smaller harvests. Sow seed in early spring every 2 weeks until 60 days before the beginning of 75º F weather. Plant in well-drained soil that is not water soaked. Treat seed with legume innoculum for higher yields. Do not feed high-nitrogen fertilizer. |
Garden or English Peas are one of the first vegetables ready for picking in spring. For a long, harvest period grow early-, midseason-, and late-ripening varieties.
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Attributes - Pisum sativum
Plant Type: Annual
Height: 1 ft. to 8 ft.
Width: 1 ft.
Sunlight: Full Sun, Partial Sun
Notes: Edible. Susceptible to Powdery Mildew.
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Related Plants
Pisum sativum 'Sugar Snap'
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