We get excited looking through our seed catalogs and can hardly believe planting season is here. Sweet peas always catch our eye and now is the time to plant.

Peas are a great addition to the garden as they add nitrogen to the soil. Once the plant flowers, the nitrogen moves to the seeds.

Tip: Purchase seeds with inoculants, which encourage the formation of nitrogen-fixing nodules on leguminous plant roots to improve plant health and yield. They also suppress disease-causing microbes and accelerate nutrient availability and assimilation.

When peas start blooming, it’s a promise of warm weather ahead. Usually peas are started when the last major frost has passed; however, raised beds with frost and wind protection allow for earlier planting. Peas like cool weather, but not freezing temperatures.

Gurney’s Little Marvel pea has been a favorite of ours for years and now they have a Maestro pea that has up to 11 peas per shell. (When I shell peas, I always shell the big ones first. And if I can, I sneak the little ones to someone else’s bowl so they have the more tedious job.)

Probably our most favorite variety is the Sugar Ann Snap because there is no shelling; you eat the whole pod.  These peas are great in stir-fry, lightly cooked in butter, or simply tossed in a salad. 

Even though the nights are cool, these little pea seeds know when to germinate and will do so in soil temperatures that are at least 40 degrees.  I plant my pea seeds about 1” deep, in double rows that are spaced 4” apart.  Go ahead and plant seeds 2” apart, because peas don’t mind being crowded. 

It’s also important to note that peas prefer full sun to partial shade, so plant them where they can see the sun.

Tip: The earlier you can grow your peas in the garden, the better.  Peas lose their sweetness when it gets hot.

Peas love to grow up a trellis and don’t mind climbing whatever they can reach. They are natural climbers. This is good because peas are susceptible to rot if they are on the ground, so some kind of trellis is appreciated by the peas and it makes picking easy, too!

Tip: I use a Garden Trellis from Burpee.  It’s easy to put up and when pea season is over, the trellis and vines are easily removed. 

Well, that’s it in a pea shell. I guarantee the peas you pick from your own garden are more nutritious, more appreciated by your family, and more blessed by your love of gardening. 

“I’ve always felt that having a garden is like having a good and loyal friend.” — C.Z. Guest, American Stage Actress

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