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When to plant peas
Plant peas 3–6 weeks before the last spring frost in spring, or 9–12 weeks before the first fall frost for a fall crop. Wait until the soil is at least 40°F. That works out to zone 5b (late March to mid April), zone 7a (early March to late March) and zone 9a (mid January to early February).
Peas planting dates by zone
| Zone | Spring | Fall | peas ready from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4a | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Jul 4 – Jul 25 | Jun 7 |
| 4b | Apr 1 – Apr 22 | Jul 7 – Jul 28 | Jun 5 |
| 5a | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Jul 9 – Jul 30 | Jun 3 |
| 5b | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | Jul 16 – Aug 6 | May 28 |
| 6a | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Jul 23 – Aug 13 | May 24 |
| 6b | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | Jul 27 – Aug 17 | May 18 |
| 7a | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | Aug 2 – Aug 23 | May 8 |
| 7b | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | Aug 9 – Aug 30 | Apr 30 |
| 8a | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | Aug 15 – Sep 5 | Apr 20 |
| 8b | Feb 2 – Feb 23 | Aug 23 – Sep 13 | Apr 8 |
| 9a | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | Sep 3 – Sep 24 | Mar 25 |
| 9b | Dec 24 – Jan 14 | Sep 17 – Oct 8 | Feb 27 |
How to plant peas
| Plant as | seeds outdoors |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | 40°F or warmer |
| Depth | 1 in |
| Spacing | 2 in |
| Light | Full sun |
| Time to harvest | 55–70 days |
Peas are one of the earliest crops: sow as soon as the soil can be worked.
Heat ends the harvest, so early planting matters more than anything else.
Give vining types a trellis at planting time.
When to harvest peas
Pick snap and snow peas when pods are full but tender; shelling peas when pods are plump and bright green.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.
More vegetables to plant
Tomatoes · Bell peppers · Potatoes · Pumpkins · Cucumbers · Okra · Zucchini · Watermelon