When to sow peas

The main sowing window

Peas are a cool season crop. The RHS says they grow well in a cool spring. Its main outdoor sowing window runs from March to June, but only once the soil has reached about 10 °C, because pea seeds will not germinate in very cold conditions.

Other UK guides stretch the dates. Garden Organic sows outdoors from mid February to June, with a cloche in February and March to protect the seedlings. BBC Gardeners' World sows outdoors between March and early July.

So our sources broadly agree on March to June, but differ at both ends. If your soil is still cold, waiting for the 10 °C the RHS asks for is the safer choice.

Sowing indoors for an early start

If your soil is cold and wet, start peas indoors. The RHS sows in February or March and plants the seedlings out in March and April, when they are about 20 cm tall.

Sow up to three seeds per pot, or one per module or tube, 5 cm deep, the RHS says. Or use guttering: sow the seeds 7.5 cm apart in a double row, then slide the whole row into a trench outside.

BBC Gardeners' World likes guttering too. It says raising peas under cover means less risk of mice or other pests leaving gaps in your rows.

Earlies, maincrops and mangetout

The type of pea changes how long you wait. The RHS gives these times from sowing:

First earlies: sow March to early June, ready in about 12 weeks.

Second earlies: sow March to June, ready in 13–14 weeks.

Maincrops: sow March to June, ready in 14–16 weeks.

The RHS adds that smooth seeded peas are hardier and suit early sowings, while wrinkled types are sweeter and better for late spring and summer sowing. Mangetout and sugar snap peas are, the RHS says, the easiest to grow and tend to produce larger crops. Garden Organic gives an overall time to harvest of 10–14 weeks, and BBC Gardeners' World says peas are ready about three months after sowing.

Sowing peas in autumn

Peas can also be sown in autumn for an early crop the next year. Garden Organic sows outdoors from mid October to mid November and suggests a cloche in October and November. BBC Gardeners' World says autumn or late winter sowings give crops from May, but warns that you may lose some to cold or mice.

The RHS takes a more cautious approach: sow in autumn but overwinter the young plants in a greenhouse or cold frame, then plant them out in early spring.

So the choice is yours: an outdoor row under a cloche, accepting some losses, or the safer RHS way under cover.

Depth, spacing and supports

Our sources give different depths. The RHS sows 5 cm deep in pots and modules. BBC Gardeners' World sows 3 cm deep outdoors, and Garden Organic sows 3 cm deep in pots.

Tall varieties. The RHS sows seeds 7.5 cm apart in a single row, or a double row with 30 cm between the rows. Tall types can reach 1.8 m.

Short varieties. The RHS uses a flat bottomed trench 15 cm wide and 5 cm deep, with three staggered rows about 7.5 cm apart. BBC Gardeners' World sows two lines in a trench roughly 22 cm wide, about 10 cm apart. Garden Organic uses two rows 10 cm apart with peas 5 cm apart.

Leave a gap between pairs of rows equal to the height of the variety, the RHS and BBC Gardeners' World both say. Put supports in early, at sowing or once the seedlings appear, the RHS says. Twiggy pea sticks suit short types, and netting or chicken wire on posts or canes suits tall ones. BBC Gardeners' World chooses supports thin enough for the tendrils to wind around.

Pea moth: why sowing date matters

Pea moth caterpillars feed inside the pods, and the RHS notes that the damage is often only found when you shell the peas. The moths emerge in June and July and lay eggs on plants that are in flower.

That gives you a way to dodge them. The RHS says quick maturing varieties sown early or late, so that they flower outside June and July, should escape. BBC Gardeners' World suggests sowing from October to mid February or in June and July to lower the risk. Mangetout, eaten before the peas inside develop, should not be affected.

You can also grow peas under fleece or insect-proof mesh. The RHS points out that peas pollinate themselves, so keeping insects out does not reduce the crop. If you use any product, use only products authorised in the UK, used as the label says.

Mice, pigeons and slugs

Mice eat newly sown pea seed. The RHS and BBC Gardeners' World both recommend sowing indoors as protection. Pigeons eat the plants, so the RHS suggests a netting cage. Slugs and snails go for the seedlings, especially in damp weather. BBC Gardeners' World suggests gritty barriers, copper rings or a biological control.

Garden Organic also advises protecting pea seedlings from birds.

Watering and picking

The RHS waters peas well when they start to flower, then again two weeks later, to help the pods swell. Garden Organic also waters once flowering starts and mulches to keep the moisture in.

The RHS harvests from June to October and Garden Organic from mid May to September. Pick shelling peas when the pods are well filled, and mangetout and sugar snaps at about 7.5 cm long, as the peas start to develop, the RHS says. Start at the bottom of the plant and work upwards, the RHS and BBC Gardeners' World advise. The RHS picks regularly to encourage more pods to form.

When the crop is over, the RHS leaves the roots in the ground, because peas are legumes that fix nitrogen. BBC Gardeners' World says fresh peas keep for about a week in the fridge, and gluts can be frozen.

Planning the whole veg patch? See when to plant potatoes for the other crop that goes in during early spring.