How Do You Plant Peas?
June 22, 2022
Peas are so sweet and tasty that it’d be a shame not to have these growing in the garden! This vegetable is easy to grow but in a very short amount of time only. Time to start adding peas into the home garden fun!
Intro to growing Peas
OK, gardening time. Growing peas is a lot of fun. Plus, they are tasty and healthy!
Varieties
When choosing varieties to grow, bear in mind that round peas tend to be hardier than wrinkled varieties. Mangetout and sugarsnap varieties are generally the easiest to grow. First earlies are sown from very early spring to early summer, and will be ready to pick in 11 to 13 weeks. Second earlies are sown from late winter to early summer and are ready in around 14 weeks.
Soil
Use fertile, well drained soil and grow peas in a sunny spot. 8 to 12 inches deep pots will be good enough for peas. Peas prefer an open, sunny position with good drainage. If your soil is acidic, then add lime before sowing. Never sow into cold, wet soil. If spring is slow to arrive, warm the soil with polythene or cloches before sowing. Peas ideally wants sandy loam to grow in. Sandy loam simply means soil consisting of less than 7 percent clay, less than 50 percent silt, and between 43 and 50 percent sand. Sow the seeds evenly in the trench about 7.5cm (3in) apart, cover with soil, then lightly firm.
Seeds
You are obviously also going to need seeds!
Sun-Requirements
This plant needs full sun.
Sowing
Sowing in late winter allows you to get an early start, and helps to protect the seeds from being eaten by mice. Peas are best sown along a length of guttering filled with compost, spacing seeds about 7.5cm (3in) apart. Make a flat-bottomed trench 5cm (2in) deep and 15cm (6in) wide.
Depth
Peas should be sown at a depth of 2.2 inches (6 cm).
Germination
Peas take 21 to 30 days to germinate. To speed up the germination process, soak the seeds overnight before planting.
