Ask any gardener who’s grown peas and they’ll tell you the same thing: you can never plant enough. If you’re learning how to grow peas, the best advice is to sow more than you think you’ll need. There are plenty of options too.
Climbing varieties are perfect if space is tight, while bush types are happy to sprawl with minimal support. Whether you love classic shelling peas, crisp snow peas or juicy sugar snap peas, there’s a type for every taste. One thing is for sure: nothing beats a handful of fresh peas straight off the vine—sweeter and more moreish than anything from the grocer or supermarket freezer aisle. In fact, they’re one of the few vegetables that kids will happily harvest and eat on the spot, often faster than you can pick them.
How to grow peas: Getting started
- Peas love cool conditions. The best results when growing peas occur when daytime temperatures are between 15°C and 24°C, making them a classic autumn-to-spring crop across most of Australia. Knowing when to plant is one of the most important parts of learning how to grow peas successfully.
- Subtropical gardeners should sow from mid-autumn to mid-winter, while warm temperate gardeners can continue sowing into early spring. In frost-prone areas, stick to spring and late-summer sowing and protect young plants, as frost can damage flowers and pods.
- Pick a sheltered spot with at least six hours of sun. Wet feet are peas’ biggest enemy, so mound heavy soils into rows to improve drainage.
- Prepare the row with a 3-5cm layer of compost, a light scatter of organic fertiliser and a small handful of sulphate of potash per square metre. If you’re learning how to grow peas in pots, choose a large container at least 40cm wide and fill it with premium potting mix.
- Sow pea seed 3-5cm deep and 5-10cm apart. Dwarf varieties are best planted in double rows 15cm apart. If heavy rain is forecast, start seed in punnets undercover instead – soggy soil can rot seed quickly. Expect germination within 7-10 days.
Growing and harvesting peas
- For climbing peas, install a trellis 1.5-2m tall before sowing. Wire mesh or a rustic teepee of branches works well.
- Dwarf varieties need only a short stake at each corner of the row, with twine wrapped around to help keep plants upright.
- Guide young shoots towards their support with a few twiggy ‘pea sticks’ and pinch out the growing tips once vines reach 20-30cm tall. This encourages branching and more flowering stems. Don’t waste the tips – they’re delicious eaten fresh.
- Keep soil evenly moist, but never waterlogged and cover the surface with a 5-7cm layer of sugar cane mulch to help conserve moisture. A light feed with organic fertiliser when flowers appear will help pods fill out. Preparing the soil well is another key step in how to grow peas that produce healthy vines and heavy crops.
- Pea pods begin forming around 10-12 weeks after sowing. Check plants daily once cropping starts. Pick shelling peas when plump and sweet and harvest snow peas and sugar snaps while still young and crisp.
Watch for mildew when growing peas
A dusty white coating on leaves signals powdery mildew, a common problem as the season warms. Give plants plenty of airflow, avoid wetting the foliage where possible and treat early outbreaks with an organic fungicide.
One of the biggest rewards of learning how to grow peas is picking fresh, sweet pods straight from the vine. If you’re lucky enough to have a bumper crop, try our Snow Pea Pesto Salad recipe to make the most of your harvest.
Pea varieties to grow
Shelling peas
Telephone
Tall climber to 2m with long pods and a long harvesting season.
Greenfeast
Dwarf variety to 75cm, heavy cropping with classic pea flavour.
Purple Podded Dutch
Climbing variety with attractive pink flowers and purple pods.
Dwarf Blue Bantam
Compact grower, ideal for pots and early harvests.
Snow peas
Yakumo
Tall climber with purple flowers and large, tender pods.
Oregon Giant
Compact, productive and resistant to powdery mildew.
Sugar snap peas
Climbing Sugar Snap
Vigorous vines to 1.5m with an early, extended harvest.
Sugar Bon
Popular dwarf variety with good mildew resistance.
Want to learn more? Sustainable Gardening Australia offers additional advice on growing peas, including companion planting and sustainable gardening practices.
