Austrian Winter Pea Pisum sativum

Peas are annual, cool-season vegetables in the bean family (Fabaceae), native to Eurasia and most often grown for their edible seeds or seed pods. There are many cultivars and varieties. 

Peas grow best in full sun and moist, well-drained soil. They can tolerate a range of soil textures so long as there is good drainage and a pH range of six to eight. While they can tolerate partial shade, they need full sun to properly develop flowers and set fruit. Peas stop growing at temperatures above 85 degrees F. In many parts of North Carolina, this leaves a very small growing window. Plant seeds directly in the soil as soon as the ground has thawed; young plants have some frost resistance. Handle seeds gently as they damage easily and will be less likely to germinate. Seeds should be planted 1 inch deep and 2 to 3 inches apart. Peas can also be grown in containers of a minimum size of two gallons and a depth of 12 inches. The plants often reach the harvest stage in 60 days. Plantings can be staged a week apart for a longer harvest season.

Peas come in tall, vining varieties that grow peas throughout the season and shorter bush varieties that set a determinate crop all at once. Vining varieties are best grown on a trellis such as stakes and twine or a metal fence in order to minimize disease. Other varieties differ in seed and pod shape. Garden peas grow round, starchy seeds and fibrous pods. Snow pea pods are harvested with barely-grown seeds, and sugar snap peas have juicy green-bean like pods and almost-full seeds.

Plant peas in a children’s or edible garden. Peas also feed the soil by fixing nitrogen; certain varieties can be used as a cool-season cover crop for this reason, often under the name Austrian winter pea.  

Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Seeds can rot or seedlings damp off if planted too early in cold, wet soil. Cutworms and aphids can be a problem, severing young shoots and spreading disease respectively, though the latter does not usually affect pods. Powdery Mildew can occur in hot weather and affect both leaves and pods. Root rot and fusarium wilt are common ailments that can cause roots and plants to wilt and die. Look for resistant varieties.

VIDEO Created by Homegrown featuring Bill Lord, former Area Specialized Agent for NC State Extension