Morton Smith-Dawe

Guide to Planting Peas

Peas are one of the best cool-season crops for the home garden and can be grown in all climates. You can plant peas from autumn to spring in mild areas and where winters are cold and frosty you can plant mid-winter to late spring. Plant approximately 3cm deep, 8cm apart and rows space 40-50cm.

Peas need moisture. Water the crop regularly in dry weather, particularly when the first flowers appear, and again when the young pods start to form. Harvest peas when young and tender and they are just filling the pods. Pick every 2-3 days to prolong flowering.

Seeds sown in damp soil should not need any further watering until the seedlings emerge. Too much moisture especially in the first 36 hours after sowing may do more harm than good. When the seedlings are a few centimetres high, “hill the soil” against the row of plants to give more support.

Peas prefer well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline soil (6.5-7.5ph). Apply garden lime or dolomite prior too planting. Blood and Bone is also beneficial.

If you have plenty of space peas can be grown on the ground, or with supporting structures such as trellis, netting, trained along fences or by placing a stake at the end of the rows and running string between the stakes. Dwarf peas can be grown in hanging baskets.