Peas
- Botanical Name
- Pisum sativum
- Hardiness
- Annual
- Height
- 1 to 8 feet
- Width
- 6 to 12 inches
- Flowers
- Mid spring to mid summer: light green, blue-green
- Fruit
- Early, late, snow, and edible pod (snap) varieties
- Light
- Full sun (best) to part shade
- Soil
- Moist, well-drained, loose, cool
- Planting & Care
- Peas germinate best in temperatures 40°F to 85°F - with 75°F being the ideal temp for seed germination
- Direct sow in early spring when the ground becomes workable. Sow seeds 1 to 11/2 inches deep and 1 inch apart in single or double rows. Allow 18 to 24 inches between single or pairs of rows and 8 to 10 inches between double rows
- For a fall harvest, plant seeds 8 to 10 weeks before first frost date
- Prolonged summer heat can result in a poor fall yield. Look for more heat tolerant varieties
- Stake or trellis at planting
- Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers as this results in more foliage growth and poor flowering and fruiting
- Much soil to suppress weeds, retain moisture and maintain soil temperature
- Problems
- Aphids, seedcorn maggot, wilt, powdery mildew, fusarium wilt
- Varieties
- Green Arrow - resistant to fusarium wilt and powdery mildew, 28 inches
- Snowflake - high yielding, 22 inches
- Wando - good heat resistance
- Mr. Big - English or garden pea, consistently large pods, high yielding, good disease resistance, indeterminate vine, All-America Selections winner
- Patio Pride - early maturity at 40 days, great for containers and succession planting, AAS winner
- Snak Hero - 4" long pods have the taste and texture of a snap pea, super sweet, stringless, 18-24" vines, AAS winner
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