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When to plant peas

Pea family, Pisum sativum

Spacing
2″ apart
Per sq ft
8
To harvest
55–70 days
Frost
Hardy

Companion plants for peas

What to grow next to peas, what to keep away, and what is only tradition. Every pairing says how strong the evidence is.

Grow together 5

Helps, or shares the bed well.

  • Carrot Practical Peas grow up while carrots grow down; both like cool spring weather.

    Carrot guide

  • Radish Practical Fast radishes are harvested before the peas need the space.

    Radish guide

  • Lettuce Practical Cool-season crops sown at the same time. Greens can sit in the light shade of the pea trellis.

    Lettuce guide

  • Spinach Practical Cool-season crops sown at the same time. Greens can sit in the light shade of the pea trellis.

    Spinach guide

  • Sweet corn Practical Peas leave nitrogen-rich roots behind; corn planted in the same spot afterward benefits.

    Source: Gardening with Companion Plants (EM128E), Linda Chalker-Scott, Washington State University Extension, 2023. Sweet corn guide

Tradition only 2

On many charts, with little or no evidence.

  • Onion Tradition Said to harm Said to stunt peas. Little evidence.

    Onion guide

  • Garlic Tradition Said to harm Said to stunt peas. Little evidence.

    Garlic guide

Studied Field or lab research shows an effect, at least under some conditions.
Mixed Some studies find an effect, others don’t, or it only works in a narrow way.
Practical Explained by light, space, timing, support or a shared pest or disease.
Tradition Widely repeated, but with little or no evidence behind it.

See every pairing side by side in the companion planting chart, or try them in a bed with the garden planner.

When to plant peas by city

Sow peas outdoors 4–6 weeks before your last frost. For a fall crop, sow 8–10 weeks before your first fall frost. Here is what that means for 2027 in cities across the US, using each city’s average frost dates (NOAA 1991–2020). Pick the city with the climate most like yours, or enter your ZIP code above.

City Last frost Sow outdoors Fall crop
Seattle, WA (9a) Mar 13 Jan 30 – Feb 13 Sep 8–22
Portland, OR (8b) Feb 25 Jan 14–28 Sep 22 – Oct 6
Sacramento, CA (9b) Jan 12 Dec 1–15 Oct 7–21
Phoenix, AZ (10a) Jan 5 Nov 24 – Dec 8 Oct 25 – Nov 8
Salt Lake City, UT (7b) Mar 31 Feb 17 – Mar 3 Aug 30 – Sep 13
Denver, CO (6a) Apr 30 Mar 19 – Apr 2 Aug 3–17
Dallas, TX (8b) Mar 2 Jan 19 – Feb 2 Sep 20 – Oct 4
Minneapolis, MN (5a) Apr 23 Mar 12–26 Aug 7–21
Kansas City, MO (6b) Apr 4 Feb 21 – Mar 7 Aug 24 – Sep 7
Chicago, IL (6b) Apr 10 Feb 27 – Mar 13 Aug 27 – Sep 10
Columbus, OH (6b) Apr 20 Mar 9–23 Aug 15–29
Nashville, TN (7b) Apr 1 Feb 18 – Mar 4 Aug 22 – Sep 5
Atlanta, GA (8a) Mar 24 Feb 10–24 Aug 30 – Sep 13
Raleigh, NC (8a) Mar 28 Feb 14–28 Aug 30 – Sep 13
Philadelphia, PA (7b) Mar 30 Feb 16 – Mar 2 Sep 8–22
Boston, MA (7a) Apr 4 Feb 21 – Mar 7 Aug 31 – Sep 14

In frost-free parts of Florida, southern California and the Gulf Coast, timing is about heat instead: grow peas from fall through winter.

Pea spacing

In a square-foot bed, plant 8 per square foot, growing them up a trellis or cage. In traditional rows, space plants about 2 inches apart with 18 inches between rows.

One of the first seeds in the ground. Stops producing in summer heat.

One square foot planted with peas, as drawn in the planner.

How to grow peas

Peas are one of the first seeds in the ground each spring and one of the sweetest rewards of the cool season. They stop producing when summer heat arrives, so timing matters. Shelling, snap and snow peas all grow the same way.

Sun and soil

Full sun and well-drained soil, pH about 6.0–7.5. Peas grow best in cool weather; flowers drop and pods get stringy above about 80°F. Avoid soggy soil, which rots seed and roots.

Planting

  1. Sow 1 inch deep 4–6 weeks before the last frost, as soon as the soil can be worked and is at least 40°F.
  2. Space seeds 2 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart, or in a double row on either side of a trellis.
  3. Set up support at planting: 2–3 feet for dwarf types, 5–6 feet for tall snap peas.
  4. For fall, sow 8–10 weeks before the first fall frost, using varieties resistant to powdery mildew.

Care

  • Do not add nitrogen; peas supply their own and extra fertilizer delays flowering.
  • Water when the top couple of inches of soil are dry, especially once plants flower.
  • Mulch to keep roots cool as spring warms.

Harvest

Pick shelling peas when pods are plump and the peas are full but still bright green, about 3 weeks after flowering. Snap peas are ready when pods fill out and snap crisply; snow peas when pods are flat and seeds barely visible. Pick every day or two, holding the vine with one hand.

Common problems

  • Powdery mildew: White coating on leaves, worst in late plantings. Plant early, choose resistant varieties, and pull vines when production ends.
  • Root rot and damping-off: Seedlings collapse or plants yellow in wet soil. Plant in well-drained beds and avoid overwatering.
  • Pea aphids: Spray off with water; they also spread viruses, so remove badly infested plants.
  • Hot-weather slump: Above 80°F plants stop flowering. Sow as early as possible and choose fast varieties.

Varieties to try

  • 'Green Arrow' — productive shelling pea with long pods
  • 'Little Marvel' — dwarf shelling pea, needs little support
  • 'Sugar Snap' — tall, edible-pod snap pea
  • 'Oregon Sugar Pod II' — snow pea, compact vines

Crop rotation

Peas belong to the pea family (Fabaceae). Fix nitrogen with soil bacteria. Plant heavy feeders where they grew last year. Relatives that count as the same family for rotation: bush bean, pole bean.

Frequently asked questions

When should I plant peas?
Sow peas outdoors 4–6 weeks before your last frost. For a fall crop, sow 8–10 weeks before your first fall frost. Type your ZIP code above for exact dates, or see the city table.
What grows well with peas?
Good neighbors for peas include carrot, radish, lettuce, spinach and sweet corn. Each one is listed above with the reason and how strong the evidence is.
How far apart should I plant peas?
In rows, space peas about 2 inches apart with rows 18 inches apart. In a square-foot bed, plant 8 per square foot. That density assumes they grow up a trellis or cage.
How long do peas take to grow?
About 55–70 days from sowing to first harvest, depending on the variety and the weather.
Can peas handle frost?
Yes. Peas handle frost well and are planted before the last frost in spring and again for a fall harvest.

Sources

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