How High or Tall Does a Pea Seed Grow?

Shorter Pea Vines

• One of the shortest pea varieties, “Organic Laxton's Progress #9” reaches a mature height of only 15 to 20 inches, yet still produces plump 4- to 5-inch pods. “Green Arrow” also generates 4- to 5-inch pods, but matures at 24 to 30 inches tall. Reaching the same height as “Green Arrow” is “Sugar Daddy.” This snap pea has thickly fleshed pods measuring 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches long. Another of the shorter pea vines “Dwarf Grey Sugar Snow Pea” grows to 28 to 36 inches tall, with petite pods only 2-1/2-inch long. All of these cultivars are typically grown without trellising. (ref 2 & author exp)

Taller Pea Vines

• Possibly the most popular fresh-eating pea of all time since its introduction to the market in 1979, "Sugar Snap" lives up to its name with crispy, sweet, edible pods, growing on 6- to 7-foot vines. “Cascadia” reaches 3 feet in height, vigorously producing 3-inch long, thick-walled pods. “Mammoth Melting” snow pea vines grow from 5 to 6 feet tall, with flat, tender 4- to 5-inch pods. All of the taller pea vines need a sturdy trellis or chicken wire to grow on, installed at planting time to avoid root damage that might stunt their growth. (ref 2 & auth. exp)

Culture for Taller Peas

• To get the tallest peas, provide your seeds with the best possible environment. Create raised beds for earlier warming and better drainage. Select a sunny site, and work at least a 2-inch layer of compost into the soil. Plant peas when the soil temperature is at least 45 degrees and inoculate the seeds before sowing. An inoculant is a powdery substance containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria. By dusting the seeds with it before planting, you set a series of amazing steps in motion. The bacteria attach to nodules on the pea’s roots, helping to pull nitrogen straight from the air and into the soil. As the roots slough off the bacteria, the nitrogen becomes available to the plant creating a natural fertilizer that supports healthy plant growth.

Pests and Diseases

• Pests and diseases can inhibit plant growth. Choose seeds with a proven resistance to some of the most common pea diseases including fusarium wilt and powdery mildew. If you are planting in cold, wet soil, seeds that also have pythium resistance are a good choice. Bacterial blight, another common disease, comes from infected seed and harbors on pea plant debris left in the soil over winter. By pulling up the plants at the end of the harvest you eliminate the host. Finally, rotate crops to avoid disease build-up in the soil.