Peas come from southern Europe and grow best where there is a lot of sun, a cool climate, and soil that is rich but doesn’t stay soggy. In the garden, they do best in raised beds and pots, and with the right care, they’re easy to grow.
Peas appreciate the same treatment whether they grow in wooden or metal raised beds. Tall raised beds present a challenge for home gardeners, as they need a large amount of soil. To fill them up, it’s easy to put old wood or gravel on the bottom of the beds and then fill them back up with rich potting soil. Rotting wood adds drainage to the bottom of the beds, while also adding nutrients for pea plants.
Once the beds are full, it’s time to plant the peas! Pea pods come in two main types: those that are shelled and those that are eaten. Shelling pea varieties grow thick pods that protect the succulent peas inside. The pods are tough to chew, so take the peas out of the pods before eating them. Grocers sell pre-shelled frozen and canned peas worldwide.
Edible-pod peas are entirely edible, and they taste best when stir-fried or eaten fresh with dip. Pick snow peas while the peas are still small in their pods, and snap peas when the peas get bigger.
After choosing the type of peas you want to eat, you need to figure out how big your raised beds are so the peas can grow. With a lot of space and a trellis, vigorous vining varieties are a good choice. They climb onto whatever they can and will grow over six feet tall with support.
With little space or no trellis in raised beds, try bush varieties. Bush peas grow low to the ground, and they typically have many stems sprouting from the ground. They also benefit from a stake or trellis for minor support.
Both bush and vining types grow edible pods and shelling peas. With many different combinations of types, there are pea varieties for everyone. Let’s discover which ones work best for you!.
There are so many kinds of peas that picking just one might seem impossible. But don’t worry—the best type of pea to grow depends on your tastes and the space you have.
Shelling pea lovers with large raised beds and tall trellises have the ideal space for vigorous vining varieties. One excellent cultivar is ‘Tall Telephone,’ also known as ‘Alderman. It supports itself and grows to be six feet tall! This is a rare type of bush because shelling peas usually grow on shorter ones.
There are many bush-type shelling peas you can try if you like shelling peas but don’t have much room. These are your grandma’s pea types, as they are often heirloom cultivars or hybrids of heirlooms. One exceptional cultivar with both heat and cold tolerance is ‘Wando. ’ Another fun type with baby pods is ‘Iona. ’ This French pea doesn’t need support and reliably produces numerous amounts of tiny pea pods.
The snow peas are my favorite kind of pea. You eat them when they are small. They typically mature quicker than shelling peas, and they have a diverse range of uses in the kitchen. In my Oregon garden, I grow ‘Oregon Sugar Pod II’ each year for a reliable harvest. These short, stocky vines proliferate bright green pods. With trellises at least four feet tall, try ‘Mammoth Melting Sugar,’ another snow pea type.
Snap peas are similar to snow peas, except you harvest them when the peas swell inside their pods. Then, you eat the pod and peas whole. Snack on them fresh, make a salad with them, or saute them like snow pea pods. “Sugar Snap” is a very vigorous variety that grows to be six to eight feet tall. Its vines produce sweet, crisp pods. “Sugar Magnolia,” a unique variety with purple pods, puts on a colorful show in the garden and also grows peas that can be eaten.
There are now new varieties that have the best taste of shelling peas and the pods of snap peas that can be eaten. Their pods are edible when young, but their peas are also edible as shelling peas when they mature. Try “Sugar Ann” or “Sugar Sprint” if you can’t decide. They have the best of both worlds.
Growing delicious sweet peas in raised beds is easy and rewarding. With proper planning and care you can harvest piles of tasty peas from a small space. This complete guide covers everything you need to know about successfully raising peas in raised garden beds.
Why Grow Peas in Raised Beds?
Raised beds offer many advantages for growing peas
-
Improved drainage and airflow. Peas need well-drained soil and raised beds provide excellent drainage. The improved airflow also prevents fungal diseases.
-
Easier to tend. Raised beds raise the garden to a comfortable working height so tending is easier on your back.
-
Warmer soil. The improved drainage, raised profile and sides of a raised bed help the soil warm up faster in spring. Peas germinate best in warmer soil.
-
Better soil. Raised beds allow you to fill them with high quality growing mix. This gives peas the light, nutrient-rich soil they thrive in.
-
Higher yields. The improved growing conditions lead to faster growth and higher yields in a small space.
-
Keep plants organized. Containing peas within a raised bed keeps them tidy and makes rotating crops easier.
Raised Bed Size and Layout
Peas grow well in raised beds of all shapes and sizes. A 4×8 foot bed is a good minimum size for a small harvest. For heavier yields, beds up to 4×12 feet work well.
When planning layout, remember peas grow upwards and outward. Leave 12-16 inches between rows. Tall climbing varieties may need rows 18-24 inches apart. Orient rows running north-south to maximize sunlight.
Peas also make great companions for other crops like radishes, spinach and lettuce. Interplant quick growing crops between pea rows to maximize space.
Choosing Pea Varieties
Many pea varieties grow well in raised beds. Consider:
-
Bush or dwarf peas – Best for small beds, reaching 1-3 feet tall. Try Little Marvel or Progress #9.
-
Tall climbing peas – Best for large beds with good support, reaching 5-10 feet. Try Sugar Snap or Alderman.
-
Snow and snap peas – Entire pod is edible, not just seeds. Try Dwarf Grey Sugar or Sugar Ann.
-
Shelling peas – Grown for plump pea seeds inside pod. Try Green Arrow or Lincoln.
-
Fall peas – For sowing late summer for fall harvest. Try Iona Petit or Darfon.
Providing Support for Peas
Peas climb naturally by grabbing onto supports. Provide supports to keep peas tidy and improve harvests. Good options include:
-
Trellises – Sturdy trellises allow maximum climbing height. Place trellises along the north side of raised beds.
-
Pea netting – Mesh netting attached to raised bed sides gives peas something to cling to.
-
Tepees – A tepee of 5-6 tall sticks gives peas structure to climb. Place one tepee between rows.
-
Cages – Wire tomato cages laid on their sides make instant pea supports.
When to Plant Peas
Peas thrive in cool weather and won’t tolerate hot summer heat. Time planting carefully:
-
Spring – Plant 2-4 weeks before last frost when soil reaches 40 degrees F.
-
Fall – Plant 8-12 weeks before first fall frost for a fall harvest.
Stagger plantings every 1-2 weeks for continuous harvests. Quick maturing varieties planted late spring can still produce before summer heat hits.
How to Plant Peas
Follow these steps when planting peas:
-
Loosen soil and mix in compost or fertilizer 2-3 weeks before planting.
-
Sow seeds 1-2” deep, spacing 2” apart in rows. Or sow seeds 2” apart in a grid pattern.
-
Water gently after sowing to settle soil. Keep soil moist but not soggy for faster germination.
-
Expect sprouts in 7-14 days. Thin seedlings to 4-6” apart. Enjoy thinnings in salads!
-
Add supports as soon as seedlings appear.
Caring for Pea Plants
Peas are relatively carefree but need a few things to thrive:
-
Water regularly – Stay on top of watering, especially during flowering and pod set. 1-2” per week is ideal.
-
Fertilize – Side dress growing plants with a balanced organic fertilizer or compost tea every 3-4 weeks.
-
Weed – Stay on top of weeds which compete for water and nutrients. Mulch also smothers weeds.
-
Monitor pests – Be on the lookout for pea aphids and other hungry insects. Remove by hand or use insecticidal soap.
-
Harvest promptly – Pick pods as soon as they plump to encourage more pod production.
Harvesting Peas
Timing is everything when harvesting peas. Here’s when to pick:
-
Snow and snap peas – Harvest while pods are plump but before seeds swell. Pods become stringy once seeds mature.
-
Shelling peas – Allow pods to fill out fully. Harvest when seeds are round and plump inside pods.
-
Check peas daily as they mature quickly, especially in hot weather. Use scissors to cut pods from vines.
-
Pick clean to prolong harvests. Stop harvesting once hot weather causes bitterness. Pull spent plants to make space for other crops.
Storing the Harvest
Enjoy peas fresh or preserve the bountiful harvest:
-
Store fresh peas in perforated bags in the fridge for 5-7 days maximum.
-
Blanch then freeze peas to enjoy year round. Seal in airtight containers or bags.
-
Pickle peas or turn them into ferments like kimchi for delicious preserved goodness.
-
Dry peas in a dehydrator or oven. Store in airtight containers for up to a year.
Growing peas in raised beds allows you to harvest plentiful amounts of sweet, tasty peas. With proper planning and care, even novice gardeners can succeed. Follow this guide and with a bit of practice you’ll be hooking impressive hauls of homegrown peas from your raised garden beds.
Plant at the Right Time
Time your pea planting for optimal growth and harvest.
Now that you’ve got your seeds, choosing the optimal time to plant them is important. Peas grow when the weather is mild and humidity is high. They love cool breezes and appreciate cold nights with mild days.
Gardeners in USDA gardening zones nine through eleven should plant peas anytime from fall through winter. Make sure you don’t plant pea seeds after late spring, because the days get hot quickly where you live and may be too hot for good pea growth.
In all other places that get hard frost, plant peas as soon as the ground is no longer frozen and can be dug up easily. This varies from late winter to late spring, depending on where you live. Some people who live in zones 7 and 8 may plant peas in the winter if it is a very mild year. Most pea varieties will be ready for harvest within two to three months.
If you love peas, growing them once a year may not be enough. Peas also love temperatures found in the fall and perform well as a fall crop in all areas. Plant pea seeds 12 weeks before your first average frost date. Within two months, you should have ample peas to harvest for freezing, canning, and eating fresh.
Consider inoculating your pea seeds for healthier soil and plants.
Inoculation is a process of applying a specific bacteria that grows on pea plants’ roots. It works with the peas to produce nitrogen in the soil that it and other plants use. If you want to add microorganisms to raised beds that are made with sterile potting soil, you should start with those.
If you have grown peas before or your raised beds have been there for a while, you may not need to add anything to the pea seeds. The nitrogen-fixing bacteria is often found naturally in the soil, especially where peas have grown in the past.
When unsure, an application of bacteria won’t hurt your plants or your soil. You can either buy pea seeds that have already been inoculated, or you can find a powder or liquid that you can use on the seeds yourself.
Give Pea Plants Support
Provide sturdy support for your peas with a trellis.
A trellis always benefits pea plants, no matter the type. Even if the seed packet says they don’t need it, peas appreciate a structure. They naturally grow by clinging to whatever they can with their tendrils and pulling themselves up. When you give your pea plants support they spread up and out with ease.
Try using a wooden stake or a more secure option like a wooden trellis. Sturdy, metal structures are ideal. You can leave them in the garden each year, and they are wind and storm-resistant.
5 Garden Secrets That Will Help You GROW MORE PEAS!
FAQ
Do peas need a trellis?
What do peas not like to be planted with?
What is the secret to growing peas?