Growing Peas in a Cold Climate: Sowing, Support and Harvest
Peas are one of the first crops you can sow in spring, and one of the best reasons to have a garden at all: nothing from the store compares to peas eaten minutes after picking. They like cool weather, which makes them a natural fit for a short northern season.
The short answer
- Sow directly once the soil is at least 10°C, which can be 1 to 2 weeks before your last frost.
- Sow 2.5 to 5 cm deep, 5 to 7 cm apart, in rows about 45 cm apart. No thinning needed.
- Do not soak the seed; soaked seed rots in cool soil.
- Sow every 2 weeks until mid-June. Harvest about 3 weeks after flowering.
Based on the University of Saskatchewan pea guide.
Types of peas
| Type | What you eat | Varieties for prairie climates (NDSU, via USask) |
|---|---|---|
| Shelling | The peas only | Early Frosty, Green Arrow, Knight, Lincoln, Little Marvel, Maestro Improved, Wando |
| Snap | Whole fat pod | Sugar Ann, Super Sugar Snap |
| Snow | Whole flat pod | Oregon Giant, Oregon Sugar Pod II, Sweet Horizon |
Peas take roughly 56 to 80 days. In the far north, choose varieties under about 55 days.
Sowing
- Wait for soil at 10°C. Below 5°C, seed can rot; at 5 to 10°C, germination takes about two weeks.
- Do not pre-soak. It does more harm than good in cool or dry soil.
- In a new garden that has never grown peas, a pea inoculant helps the plants fix nitrogen.
- Raised beds and clear plastic laid on the soil after snowmelt (removed before sowing) warm the soil sooner.
Support
Tall varieties need a trellis or fence. Even short bush types do better with light support such as chicken wire or twiggy branches pushed into the soil; it keeps pods off the ground and makes picking easier.
Water
About 2.5 cm a week, and especially during and after flowering, when dry soil cuts the harvest. Mulch to keep the soil cool and moist.
Harvest
- Start checking about 3 weeks after flowering, and pick often, even daily.
- Shelling peas: when pods are full but before the peas turn starchy.
- Snap peas: when pods are plump and crisp. Snow peas: while pods are still flat.
- Pick in the cool of the morning, holding the vine with one hand so you do not tear it.
- Chill right away. Peas lose sweetness fast in warm temperatures.
Powdery mildew
Late-planted peas are more prone to powdery mildew. Choose resistant varieties, avoid crowding, water early in the day and mulch to reduce splashing.
Keep reading
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I plant peas?
Once the soil is at least 10°C, which can be one to two weeks before your last spring frost.
Should I soak pea seeds before planting?
No. Soaked seed can rot in cool soil and germinates poorly in dry soil.
How deep do you plant peas?
About 2.5 to 5 cm deep, 5 to 7 cm apart, in rows about 45 cm apart.
When are peas ready to pick?
About three weeks after flowering. Pick shelling peas when the pods are full but before the peas turn starchy.