Pea (Pisum sativum)
9 sources cited · Verified
The short answer
- Plant
- Mid February to late June
- Ready in
- 55–112 days
- Site
- 6+ hours of sun, soil pH 6–6.5
- Biggest risk
- Powdery mildew
In the UK, peas go in the ground mid February to late June, and are ready to harvest 55–112 days after planting.
Peas (Pisum sativum) — annual.
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.
Soil & Growing Conditions
Quick Facts
| Factor | Value |
|---|---|
| Soil pH | 6 - 6.5 |
| Sunlight | 6-6 hours direct sun |
| Germination temp | 10C |
| Optimal growing temp | 10-24C |
| Minimum survivable temp | -2C |
| Time to harvest | 55-112 days |
| Drainage | RHS: well-drained soil with plenty of garden compost or well-rotted manure -- at least two bucketfuls per square metre/yard. Clemson: plant in full sun to ensure maximum flavour and sugar content. |
| Lifecycle | annual |
| Edible parts | pods, peas, pea shoots |
At a Glance
Regional Planting Calendar
| Region | Sow |
|---|---|
| Southern England | mid February to late June |
| Midlands derived | early March to late June |
| Northern England derived | mid March to late June |
| Scotland derived | mid March to mid June |
Rows marked derived are interpolated between regions our sources do state, because no source we consulted gives a figure for that region specifically. They are deliberately wider to reflect that uncertainty.
Southern England - detail & sources
RHS: sow outdoors March to June, with the earliest sowings from February to March under cloches or started indoors, and hardy round-seeded types over winter for a very early crop. Southern England has the UK's earliest soil-warming and last frosts (Met Office), so the cloche-earliest February start applies here; sow small successional batches every few weeks and the last sowings in June crop into autumn.
Midlands - detail & sources
DERIVED: based on the RHS March-to-June sowing window, brought about two weeks later than southern England for the earliest sowing because the Midlands warm and pass the last frost slightly later (Met Office south-to-north gradient). Early sowings still benefit from cloches; sow successionally, with June sowings cropping into autumn.
Northern England - detail & sources
DERIVED: interpolated later than the Midlands -- start outdoor sowing from about mid-March once soil reaches 10C, as Northern England warms later and sees later last frosts (Met Office). Cloches help early sowings; finish sowing by about late June so maincrops mature before autumn. Based on the RHS March-to-June window.
Scotland - detail & sources
DERIVED: Scotland has the UK's latest soil-warming and shortest season (Met Office), so sow from about mid-March under cloches or fleece and finish by mid-June to give maincrops time to fill before cooler autumn weather. Based on the RHS March-to-June sowing window; early round-seeded types suit the coldest starts.
Growth Stages
| Stage | BBCH | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Establishment | 0 | Sow peas direct where they are to grow, about 5cm (2in) deep and 7.5cm (3in) apart, once the soil is at least 10C (50F) -- typically March to June, with early sowings from February to March under cloches or started in pots, guttering or root-trainers indoors (RHS). Set tall varieties in double rows about 30cm (1ft) apart and dwarf types in a wide flat drill; leave a gap the height of the variety between row sets. Smooth, round-seeded types are the hardiest and suit the earliest and autumn sowings; wrinkled types are sweeter but only for spring and summer (RHS). Peas dislike waterlogged ground, so choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil enriched with garden compost, and protect newly sown seed and seedlings from mice, birds and slugs while putting supports in early (RHS, Clemson). |
| Vegetative Growth | 3 | Seedlings climb by clinging tendrils, so give them support as soon as they are a few centimetres tall -- twiggy pea sticks for dwarf types, or netting and chicken wire on canes for taller varieties (RHS). As a legume, pea roots fix their own nitrogen with soil bacteria, so they need little or no feeding; too much nitrogen produces leafy plants with few pods (Clemson). Keep the row weed-free and water in dry spells, but heavy watering is not needed until flowering. Hardy round-seeded types sown in late autumn or under cloches overwinter as small plants for an early crop (RHS). |
| Flowering | 6 | White (sometimes pink or purple) flowers appear from late spring and are largely self-pollinating, so each flower can set a pod without insect help (RHS). Watering matters most now: give a good soak once plants start to flower and again about two weeks later, as this is what fills the pods (RHS). Water the soil rather than the foliage to reduce mildew. The flowering-to-podding period is also when pea moth females lay eggs, so early and late sowings that flower outside the mid-summer peak often escape the worst damage (RHS). |
| Pod Development | 7 | Fertilised flowers form flat pods that swell as the peas develop inside. Keep plants evenly watered so pods fill well and do not toughen. This is the stage pea moth caterpillars attack -- eggs laid at flowering hatch and bore into pods to feed on the developing peas, so protect vulnerable sowings with insect-proof mesh over the flowering period (RHS). Watch too for pea and bean weevil notching leaf edges and, in dry summers, for powdery mildew whitening the foliage (RHS). |
| Ripening / Harvest | 8 | Pick shelling peas when the pods are well filled but still bright green, and pick mangetout and sugar snap types young, at about 7.5cm (3in) long just as the peas begin to swell (RHS). Harvest from the bottom of the plant upward every one to three days -- regular picking keeps plants cropping (Clemson). First early varieties are ready about 12 weeks from sowing, second earlies 13 to 14 weeks and maincrops 14 to 16 weeks (RHS). Peas are sweetest eaten straight away, as their sugars turn to starch within hours; refrigerate for only two to three days, or freeze a glut (Clemson). |
| End of Crop | 9 | Once a row finishes cropping, cut the plants off at soil level and leave the roots in the ground -- the nitrogen-rich nodules break down and feed the following crop, one of the main benefits of growing legumes (Clemson). Compost the tops unless they are badly mildewed. Sow short successional batches every few weeks and mix early and maincrop types so the harvest runs from early summer into autumn; avoid growing peas in the same ground more often than about one year in three, to reduce soil-borne problems (RHS). |
Harvest & Storage
Diseases
Pests
Peas, Sowing to Harvest
References
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Tier 1. Primary UK source for sowing time, depth, spacing, support, watering, types, harvest timing and rotation.
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Tier 1. US extension corroboration for full sun, nitrogen-fixation/feeding, harvest indicators and storage.
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Tier 1. US extension corroboration for cool-season timing and home-garden culture.
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Tier 1. RHS source for pea moth (Cydia nigricana) lifecycle and control.
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Tier 1. RHS source for pea and bean weevil (Sitona lineatus).
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Tier 1. RHS source; names peas among affected crops (common in dry summers).
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Tier 1. RHS source; names peas among affected crops.
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Tier 1. RHS source; names peas and related legumes as hosts of Uromyces viciae-fabae.
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Tier 1. UK climate context for the south-to-north sowing gradient and late-frost risk.
9 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I sow peas in the UK?
In southern England, from mid February. In northern England and Scotland, wait until mid March. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to sow only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.
When do I sow peas?
Sow mid February to late June, at around 10°C for germination.
How long do peas take to grow?
Typically 55–112 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.
What soil pH do peas need?
A pH of about 6–6.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.
What problems affect peas?
Our data links 3 diseases and 5 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.
Plan next season before the problems start
Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.
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