🫛 Peas
How to grow
Direct sow 4–6 weeks before last frost — peas germinate in soil as cold as 40°F and laugh at light frost. Plant 1 inch deep. Give them something to climb: a trellis, fence, or even twiggy branches (the traditional 'pea sticks' — free and charming). Inoculate seeds with Rhizobium bacteria if peas haven't grown there before; it's cheap and the nitrogen-fixing nodules are the whole point.
Florida: peas are strictly fall-through-early-spring — sow October–February and they'll produce before heat shuts them down. Everywhere else: spring sowing, and a second sowing in late summer for fall harvest. Afternoon shade extends the season where springs turn hot fast.
Water & feeding
About 1 inch per week; critical during flowering and pod fill — drought then means flat, sad pods. Peas make their own nitrogen (that's the Rhizobium deal), so skip nitrogen fertilizer entirely; a little worm castings at planting for phosphorus and biology is plenty.
Common problems
- Powdery mildew: the classic late-season pea killer. Resistant varieties, airflow, morning sun. Plant early to dodge it.
- Pea weevils/aphids: row cover early; blast aphids with water. Usually minor on vigorous spring plants.
- Birds eating seedlings: netting or shiny tape until plants are 4+ inches tall. Birds love pea shoots the way we love the peas.
Harvest
Pick when pods are plump but still bright green — check daily, because peas go from perfect to starchy in about 48 hours. Hold the vine with one hand, pick with the other (vines are delicate). Eat some raw standing in the garden; that's not optional, it's tradition. The more you pick, the more they produce.