How Many Weeks Before Frost to Transplant Peas?

Identification

• Peas are native to Eurasia and have been under cultivation for at least 7,000 years. While smaller varieties can grow as bushes, larger pea plants will need support to twine upwards. Garden or English peas (Pisum sativum var. sativum) are grown for the sweet, round seeds that form within their pods, which are not usually eaten. Sugar or snap peas (Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon) are prized for their sweet, edible pods. Peas prefer moist, cool, slightly alkaline soil high in organic matter.

Starting Indoors

• Although it is better to start peas outdoors directly in soil, starting them indoors can give you a head start if you live where weather tends to transition quickly from cold to warm, without much intermediate cool period. Since peas like cool weather best, you can simulate it indoors in a basement, garage or greenhouse. Plants need natural light or a grow light, and prefer fertile, well-draining sandy loams. Peas may take a month or more to sprout in soil temperatures of 40 degrees, but will germinate in about a week at 60.

Transplanting Time

• You have to be careful when transplanting peas because once they have started developing, their leaves and flowers are susceptible to cold. If you have a cold frame or a hoop house, you can transplant peas outdoors earlier than you can into the bare soil -- essentially any time after they have sprouted indoors and before the last frost date. If your peas will have no protection, wait until after the last frost to ensure their flowers and incipient fruits aren’t damaged. When planting peas straight in the ground, you can start about a month before the last frost, as shoots are hardier than larger plants.

Fall Crops

• One of the biggest reasons gardeners transplant peas is to get a fall crop. Because peas don’t do well in warm weather, you can start plants indoors in a cooler area for transplant out into the garden once the hottest part of the season has passed. If you do this, the trick is to transplant them in enough time to reach full maturity before they fruit, otherwise the first frost of the season could damage your crop.