Cool-Season Vegetable

When to Plant Peas

One of the earliest crops you can plant. Kids love picking and eating them right off the vine.

Sun

Full sun (6-8 hours)

Water

1 inch per week

Days to Harvest

55-70

Difficulty

beginner

Spacing

Frost Tolerance

high

The Short Answer

Peas are cold-tolerant and actually prefer cooler growing conditions. You can direct sow seeds 6 weeks before your last frost date — one of the earliest crops you can plant. Enter your zip code on our homepage tool for exact dates.

How to Grow Peas

Peas are the ultimate cool-season reward — the flavor of a garden pea eaten straight from the vine bears no resemblance to anything in a supermarket freezer. Inoculate seeds with rhizobium bacteria (pea/bean type) to boost the nitrogen fixation that makes peas a soil-improving crop. Provide trellising even for 'bush' varieties — they all climb given the chance, and vertical growing improves air circulation and harvest convenience. Plant as early as soil can be worked; peas germinate in soil as cool as 40°F. The season ends when sustained heat arrives — there's no fighting it.

Direct Sowing

Peas can be direct sown 6 weeks before your last frost date. Plant seeds 1" deep, spaced 3" apart.

Fall Planting

Peas are planted in fall, 8 weeks before your average first frost date. Plant 1" deep, 3" apart.

Growing Tips

Direct sow as early as the soil can be worked. Inoculate with rhizobium for bigger harvests. Provide a trellis for climbing varieties.

Companion Planting

Good companions:

Carrots Radishes Corn Cucumbers

Keep away from:

Onions Garlic

Peas Planting Dates by State

Click your state for peas planting dates specific to your location:

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Note: Planting dates are based on average frost dates from NOAA Climate Normals (30-year averages). Actual conditions vary year to year. Always check your local forecast before planting frost-sensitive crops.

Last reviewed: March 29, 2026