Pea

At a glance

USDA Zones

3–9

Sun

Full sun (6+ hrs)

Water

Medium — water when top inch of soil is dry

Soil

Loam

pH

Neutral

Spacing

6 in. between plants

Per square foot

4 plants per square

Days to maturity

About 65 days

Planting & harvest windows

Northern Hemisphere timing. Adjust ±4–6 weeks based on your last/first frost dates.

Good companions

• 
  Carrot

  Peas fix nitrogen that carrots benefit from once peas finish in early summer.

• 
  Cucumber
• 
  Radish
• 
  Spinach

Keep apart from

• 
  Onion

  The onion family stunts the helpful root bacteria peas rely on, so they grow poorly.

• 
  Garlic

  The onion family stunts the helpful root bacteria peas rely on, so they grow poorly.

Recommended varieties

• Sugar Snap

  65 daysseed

  Sweet edible-pod pea, eat raw or cooked.

• Lincoln

  65 daysseed

  Sweet shelling pea, heat-tolerant.

• Little Marvel

  60 daysseed

  Compact bush pea, perfect for raised beds.

• Oregon Sugar Pod

  65 daysseed

  Classic flat-podded snow pea variety.