Perfect Peas: How to Select and Grow the Best Varieties for Garden-to-Table Meals

Ahhh…you know spring is in full swing when the first sweet, tender peas dangle prettily in the garden. Go ahead: gently pull that first pod from the vine and pop it in your mouth. There’s nothing nicer than savoring the rewards of your work, snacking on fresh peas straight from the vine.

Plus, not only are peas good for you, they’re good for your garden

Peas capture nitrogen from the air, fixing it into the soil. In fact, if you plant peas and then grow them again in the same soil the following year, the next crop typically increases yield by ten percent! Or, plant peas, then grow a crop that feeds heavily on nitrogen, like corn. Many growers use peas as a cover crop to boost the nitrogen levels in the soil.

Sugar snap, snow, or English…how do you know which pea is right for you?

It depends.

You may adore creating tasty Asian-inspired stir-fries. Or maybe you love sprinkling peas into pasta or pureeing for soup. Or perhaps you crave a simple side of plump, sweet, juicy peas with your favorite roasts. Whatever you desire, there’s a pea perfect for your culinary creations.

Take a look at the different types of peas, as well as some of the varieties you’ll find from National Garden Bureau Members:

With an edible, flat pod with small berries within, snow peas are ideal for stir-fries, fresh eating, or prepared however you like: sauteed with garlic, sprinkled with lemon, or dressed with sesame seeds.

Varieties include:

• Avalanche Snow Pea: Produces five-inch long, sweet, and tender pods. Plants are a semi-leafless, afila type with tendrils that can be used for a garnish, as well as loads of double pods for an abundant harvest
• Little Snow Pea Purple: Topping out at only 24 inches tall, this dwarf snow pea is as attractive as it is tasty. The sweet, refreshingly crisp pods follow the showy bicolor purple flowers.
• Oregon Giant Snow Pea: With big yields of large, 5-inch pods, this variety is resistant to common wilt, mosaic virus, and powdery mildew.
• Oregon Sugar Pod II Snow Pea: An heirloom favorite that produces extra-large crops of tasty 4-1/2 inch pods. The vigorous 28-inch plant resists pea virus, common wilt, and powdery mildew. Great for freezing.
• Golden Sweet Snow Pea: An heirloom variety from India producing vigorous vines 6 feet long with attractive two-tone purple blossoms that yield lemon-yellow pods.
• Mammoth Melting Snow Pea: A high-yielding variety with sweet and tender pods that stay that way even after the pods reach three inches or more.

An edible, plump pod filled with bigger berries, these sweet and juicy snap peas are higher in sugar content than snow peas. They typically mature earlier, too, making them a great addition to gardens for an early harvest. Snap peas taste delicious simply steamed or eaten fresh in salads, but they’re also a great ingredient in Mediterranean dishes, stir-fries, pasta, and even wraps.

Take a look at some of the varieties:

• Sugar Ann Snap Pea: An All-America Selections winner, the vine bears large, crisp edible pods that are delicious for fresh eating, as well as sautéing and steaming. The compact plant grows just 10 to 24 inches tall and doesn’t require staking.
• Sugar Snap Pea: One of the most flavorful snap varieties, this All-America Selections winner has stringless, 3-inch pods are delicious fresh, or cooked—and they retain their rich color and crunch after cooking.
• Patio Pride Snap Pea: Super-early, super-compact, and super-flavorful, this All-America Selections Winner produces 30 or more pods on plants so well-branched and compact you can grow them in containers.
• Little SnapPea Crunch: Compact yet highly productive plants grow well in large containers, as well as small or large gardens. Expect lots of crunchy, sweet, juicy, edible pod peas in about 58 to 60 days.
• Snak Hero Snap Pea: Though they look a little like green beans, these 4-inch long, stringless pods have all the taste and texture of a delicious snap pea. The vines of this All-America Selections Winner grow 18 to 24 inches tall and can be grown with or without support.
• Cascadia Snap Pea: A great new variety with plump, tender pods that have a special flavor all their own. The vines grow 2-1/2 to 3 feet tall and do not need to be trellised.

English (Shelling) Peas

Fibrous, inedible pods filled with plump, delicious berries, these are the peas you may have spent hours sitting on the front porch, shelling with your grandma. But boy, are they worth the work! Not only do they taste great popped fresh into your mouth, but English peas make a fabulous addition to soups, salads, and pasta, or puree them and slather on crostini. For the simplest side, just sauté with butter and serve.

Consider the following varieties to add to your garden:

• Big English Pea: An improved variety of English Pea known for its large pods and heavy yields. An All-America Selections winner selected for excellent productivity and taste.
• Maestro Pea: One the of earliest shelling peas that’s also highly disease resistant. Big yields of pods, frequently borne in pairs. A compact plant is ideal for containers.
• PLS 595 Pea: A later season variety, the upright habit with high-setting pods makes harvesting a breeze. Expect heavy yields of long pods that are filled with 11 berries on average.
• Green Arrow Shelling Pea: A bush variety that produces slender 4 to 4-1/2 inch pea pods that contain 9 to 11 peas when mature. These peas are renowned for their sweet flavor and tender texture.
• Blue Shelling Pea: A Dutch heirloom, this highly regarded, colorful, and versatile variety produces deep purple flowers and pretty purple pods.
• Progress No. 9 Dwarf Shelling Pea: An heirloom variety, this dwarf, early-to-harvest hardy shelling pea develops thick 4 to 5-inch deep-green pods. A short-vine bush pea, it is wilt-resistant and fast-maturing.

How to Grow Peas

If you’re anxious to play in the garden after a long winter, peas satisfy that craving. Because they tolerate colder temperatures, you can plant peas during the mild weather of late winter/ early spring, depending on your USDA hardiness zone.

When to Plant Peas

• Sow seeds 4 to 6 weeks before your last spring frost, once soil temperatures reach at least 45° F. Snow won’t hurt emerging pea plants, but multiple days of temperatures in the teens might. A late freeze can damage pea flowers, though, reducing your harvest.
• Consider using a row cover to add a bit of insulation if you expect extremely cold temperatures. You can also plant a second round of peas in late summer or early fall, about six to eight weeks before your first fall frost date.

Most gardeners direct-sow pea seeds, but you’ll also find young plants available.

• Peas dislike having their roots disturbed, so look for plants in biodegradable containers and plant the entire container.
• Space young pea plants 5 inches apart.
• Plant peas in an area with full sun and fertile, well-drained soil.
• Peas grow beautifully in sunny raised beds, containers, and in-ground gardens.
• Look for compact varieties for container growing.
• For hanging baskets, look for varieties that have a shorter vine like 12″.

More Growing Tips for Peas…

• Sow pea seeds one inch deep and two inches apart.
• Soak seeds overnight before planting to help speed germination.
• Space rows seven inches apart.
• Bush peas can reach 18 to 30 inches tall, while pole varieties may grow four to six feet tall.
• Both varieties benefit from trellising, which makes harvesting easier and helps ensure good airflow to prevent diseases. Install trellises before planting.

Watering Tips 

• Water seedlings regularly and feed the plants with a continuous-release plant food to ensure your pea plants grow strong and vigorous.
• Once the plants reach six inches tall, add a two-inch layer of mulch, straw, or dried grass clippings to help retain soil moisture and prevent weeds. Mulch also helps keep the soil cool, which peas prefer.
• Regular watering is critical from the appearance of the first flower until harvest, as peas need consistent moisture to develop full, flavorful pods.

Preventing Pests and Diseases on your Pea Plants

• Pesky aphids may infest pea vines, but a strong spray of water or a douse of insecticidal soap typically takes care of the pests.
• Pea weevils may also damage your plants. The pests burrow into pods, destroying healthy berries. Try planting early maturing pea varieties, or use a floating row cover to protect your plants. Because pea plants are self-fertile, there’s no need to worry that pollinators can’t access the flowers.
• Peas can succumb to fusarium wilt and root-rot disease, especially in poorly drained soils. Look for stunted plants or yellow, wilting lower leaves as symptoms of these diseases.
• Prevent fungal diseases, like powdery mildew, by watering peas early in the day, which gives the leaves time to dry before dusk. Alternately, use a soaker hose or drip irrigation to avoid wetting the foliage when you water. Consider planting disease-resistant varieties, like All-America Selections Winner Sugar Ann.

How to Harvest and Store Peas

While you may be eager to pluck the first ripe peas quickly from the vine, remember—pea vines are delicate. Use two hands—one holding the vine, the other carefully harvesting the pods—to avoid breaking the plant. Patience is a virtue when harvesting peas. Shop our NGB members for scissors, colander trug, and more garden products. 

But how do you know when to harvest your peas?

• Pick snow peas when the delicate pods begin to show immature seeds inside.
• Gather snap peas when the pods become plump yet are still glossy and filled with sweet-tasting peas.
• Pick shell peas before the pods become waxy.

If harvested at the correct time, the pods of snow peas and snap peas can be eaten. If pods are chewy and tough, they’ve been left on vines too long. Shell the snap peas and compost the pods.

The more often you pick peas, the more peas you’ll have.

• It’s important to check your vines daily and harvest often.
• If you leave pods on the vine past their prime, the plant thinks it’s winding down for the season, producing seeds instead of new edible pods and berries.
• Peas will produce as long as vines are healthy and temperatures stay cool. But once temperatures reach into the 80s, pea season is over.

For the best flavor, cook or freeze peas within a few hours of picking

• After harvest, the sugar in peas turns to starch quickly, decreasing sweetness.
• To freeze snap-style green peas, simply toss pods into plastic freezer bags, removing as much air as possible before sealing.
• Don’t forget to harvest flowers and tendrils, too. They make a tasty addition to salads, plus the flowers look lovely garnishing dinners and drinks.

Risotto with Mushrooms and Fresh Peas

And, if you’re looking for a creative way to use your freshly harvested peas, give this recipe a try. We’re confident you’ll love the sweet, bright flavor fresh peas add to risotto.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced thin
• 2 large shallots, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 cups Arborio rice (about 14 ounces)
• 12 ounces dry white wine
• 4-5 cups warm chicken broth
• Sea salt
• 1 pound fresh peas, shelled (about 1 cup peas)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 ounces grated Parmesan
• Crusty bread, for serving

Directions:

1. In a medium pot over medium-high heat, warm 1-1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook until crispy and brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add the remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons oil, allow to heat, then add shallots and garlic to the pan, cooking until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the rice.
2. Stir the rice to coat completely with oil and toast lightly. Add the wine and keep stirring until absorbed into the rice. Lower the heat, add 1/2 cup warm broth, and a pinch of salt, and stir until broth is absorbed. Keep adding the broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring until absorbed. Continue cooking, adding broth until the rice is soft and creamy, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
3. While the rice cooks, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add the peas and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, until tender and bright green. Drain and transfer the peas to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Remove from the ice bath and set aside.
4. When the rice is al dente, stir in the butter and Parmesan, followed by the peas and mushrooms. Serve warm with crusty bread.

Are you ready to grow deliciously sweet peas for your favorite garden-to-table meals? You’ll adore harvesting these tasty treats—and snacking on them straight from the vine—in your garden.

About National Garden Bureau

Founded more than 100 years ago, the National Garden Bureau educates, inspires, and motivates people to grow home gardens. National Garden Bureau members are horticultural experts, and the information shared with you comes directly from these experts to ensure your gardening success.

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