How to Grow Peas

Peas are a classic allotment crop — easy to grow, sweet, and productive. They prefer cool, moist conditions and rich, well-drained soil. Sow little and often to enjoy a long harvest season.

You can grow:

• Early peas (Feltham First, Meteor) – sow in autumn or early spring.

• Maincrop peas (Hurst Green Shaft, Onward) – high yields, sown spring.

• Mangetout & sugar snaps – edible pods, sweeter and longer cropping.

🗓️ Month-by-Month Growing Guide (UK)

January

🧤 Plan & Prepare

• Choose your pea types: early, maincrop, or mangetout.

• Pick a sunny, sheltered bed with good drainage.

• Dig in compost or well-rotted manure to enrich the soil.

• Gather supports — pea sticks, netting, or mesh for later.

February

🌱 Early Sowings Begin (Under Cover)

• Start early peas in root trainers or guttering in a greenhouse, cold frame, or windowsill.

• Sow seeds 2.5 cm deep and about 5 cm apart.

• Keep compost moist but not waterlogged.

• Protect from mice and slugs.

March

🌿 Main Sowing Time Begins

• Sow early varieties outdoors once the soil warms (around 7°C+).

• Prepare a trench 5 cm deep and 15 cm wide.

• Sow seeds in two staggered rows inside the trench, 5 cm apart.

• Cover with soil and water gently.

• Add pea sticks or netting for support.

• Protect young shoots from birds with fleece or netting.

April

🌾 Strong Growth & Successive Sowings

• Continue sowing maincrop and mangetout varieties every 2–3 weeks.

• Water regularly — peas like moist soil.

• Keep beds weed-free.

• Train tendrils to supports as they grow.

• Mulch to retain moisture and deter weeds.

May

🌸 Flowering Begins

• Plants will start to climb rapidly now.

• Keep them well-watered, especially during dry spells.

• Feed with liquid seaweed or compost tea once flowers appear.

• Keep tying in stems to supports if necessary.

June

🍃 Pods Forming & First Harvests

• Early varieties ready for picking.

• Harvest regularly — pods are sweetest when young and full.

• Continue watering deeply 2–3 times a week.

• Sow final crops of dwarf or sugar snap peas for late summer harvests.

July

🌿 Main Harvest Period

• Harvest pods daily for best flavour.

• The more you pick, the more they produce!

• Keep plants well-watered and mulched.

• Remove weeds and yellowing foliage.

• Save a few pods if you want to collect seed.

August

🌾 Late Crops & Clean-Up

• Enjoy final harvests from late sowings.

• Once plants stop cropping, cut stems at ground level — leave roots in soil (they release nitrogen).

• Compost old growth.

• Clear and mulch the bed for autumn crops.

September

🌱 Autumn Sowing (Optional)

• Sow hardy varieties (Meteor, Feltham First) for overwintering in mild regions.

• Cover with cloches or fleece for protection.

• Alternatively, sow in trays under cover for transplanting in spring.

October

🍂 Overwintering Care

• Keep overwintered peas weed-free and covered with fleece.

• Water lightly during dry spells.

November–December

❄️ Rest & Planning

• Minimal work — just check overwintered plants are healthy.

• Plan next year’s crop rotation — avoid planting peas in the same spot to prevent disease.

🌼 Key Growing Tips

• Sun: Full sun, sheltered from wind.

• Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained.

• Spacing: 5 cm apart, rows 45 cm apart.

• Watering: Keep evenly moist during flowering and pod set.

• Feeding: Little needed — peas fix their own nitrogen.

• Harvest: 10–14 weeks after sowing.

• Support: Sticks, netting, or mesh — 1.2 m tall for most types.

🌤 Tip of the Season

“Keep picking little and often — peas taste their sweetest straight off the vine.”