How Long Before Peas Grow?

About Peas

• You can grow peas as annuals almost anywhere in the U.S. There is a wide variety not only in types of peas but also in their growth habits and how long it takes before they are ready to pick. Peas fall into three main groups: shelling peas (Pisum sativum); edible-podded peas (Pisum macricarpon), which includes sugar snap and snow peas; and field peas (Pisum arvense), grown primarily for use as a dry pea. Despite this disparity, all peas share the same love of cool weather and should be planted as early in the spring as the soil can be worked, which is generally about four to six weeks before the last frost. In warm climates, you can also plant peas in fall for a winter harvest.

Planting Peas

• Peas need well-draining soil, particularly during germination, as the seeds can rot if the soil is too wet. It's best to prepare the soil a few months before planting, if possible, as this gives soil amendments, such as compost or manure, plenty of time to become fully incorporated before planting. Germination rates are highest at a soil temperatures around 60 degrees Fahrenheit and germination is generally slower at temperatures below that. Plant peas 1 to 2 inches deep and 1 to 4 inches apart in rows that are about 18 inches apart, and firm the soil lightly. You can also plant them in a 3-inch-wide band by spacing them 1 inch apart, which translates to about 25 seeds per foot. Keep the soil consistently moist but not saturated, and avoid over-watering during the flowering stage.

Types and Varieties

• Shelling peas are available as short- or long-season varieties which make a continuous harvest possible. For early shell peas, look for names such as "Spring" and "Daybreak," which are both ready to pick in roughly 55 days. Later-maturing varieties include "Little Marvel," ready in 63 days, and "Wando," a heat-tolerant pea that is ready to pick in about 70 days. Sugar snap peas are available with names such as "Sugar Sprint" and "Sugar Ann," both of which are ready in about 58 days from germination. Snow pea varieties have names like "Oregon Sugar Pod II," which matures in about 60 to 70 days, and "Snowbird," ready in about 58 days. Field pea varieties include "Polecat," that matures in 70 to 85 days, and "Queen Anne," a black-eyed variety ready in 68 days.

Growth Habits

• Peas grow on long vines that require staking or shorter, more compact plants that require little or no support. Stakes can be as elaborate as wire frames installed along rows of peas or as simple as bare branches taken from trees or tall shrubs and driven into the soil along the rows. Examples of compact plants include "Sundance," that grows to about 26 inches, and "Survivor," that grows to about 24 inches. For traditional, or heirloom, vining peas, look for "Dual," whose vines grow to 30 inches, and "Amish Snap," that grows to nearly 6 feet.