Lettuce & Peas Planted Together

Sunlight and Soil Requirements

• Lettuce and peas produce the best crops when grown in full sun locations with more than six hours of direct sunlight each day. Successfully cultivating lettuce and peas from seed requires a well-prepared garden bed. Use a tiller to incorporate 3 inches of peat moss, 3 inches of well-rotted compost and 1 inch of coarse horticultural sand into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil. Broadcast lettuce seeds evenly over the soil in wide rows 12 to 15 inches across. Cover the seeds with no more than a ½ inch of soil. Sow pea seeds 1 to 2 inches deep in rows 18 to 24 inches apart. Space pea seeds 2 inches apart within each row.

Irrigation Requirements

• Lettuce and peas require adequate moisture for proper development. Irrigating the garden bed with up to ¾ inch of water immediately after sowing the seeds moistens the soil. Continue watering the lettuce and peas every two or three days, or as often as necessary maintaining soil that's moist, but not soggy or flooded. Watering your garden vegetables in the morning ensures the plants are dry by nightfall.

Fertilization Requirements

• A continuous supply of nutrients helps lettuce and pea plants to produce healthy, flavorful crops. The organic materials you worked into the soil at planting provide the needed nutrients. Providing regular fertilization throughout the growing season keeps your lettuce and peas growing strong. Fertilize the plants with a water-soluble 5-10-10 fertilizer once a month, while they are actively growing.

Harvest

• Leaf lettuce is ready approximately 75 days after planting and may be harvested when the plants reach 5 to 6 inches tall. Harvest head lettuce as early as 55 days after planting. Look for overlapping leaves forming a head. Store harvested lettuce in the refrigerator's crisper section for up to two weeks. Harvest early-season pea varieties 55 to 64 days after planting. Harvest midseason varieties 65 to 70 days after planting. For best results, harvest pea pods every one to three days. Eat harvested peas immediately or store them in the refrigerator for up to three days.