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Pea Growing Guide🌱: Trellising, Spacing, and Harvesting Tips

Pea Growing Guide🌱: Trellising, Spacing, and Harvesting Tips

Introduction

Peas are one of the first crops to kick off spring gardening. Fast-growing, productive, and delicious, they thrive in SIPs and wicking beds where consistent bottom-up watering supports strong vines and bigger harvests. Whether you’re using a LifeSpace Garden or converting your raised bed with GardenWells inserts, peas are a great early-season crop that enrich the soil for everything that follows.

When to Plant Peas

  • Spring Planting: Sow peas outdoors as soon as the soil is workable, typically March through April. Check our March Gardening Guide for early planting tips.

  • Succession Planting: Continue sowing every 2–3 weeks through May for steady harvests. Visit the May Gardening Guide for succession schedules.

  • Fall Crops: In mild climates, sow again in late August for autumn harvests; see the September Gardening Guide for timing details.

Square Foot Gardening Spacing

  • Spacing: 8 pea plants per sq ft (~4” apart)

  • Depth: Sow seeds 1” deep

  • Companions: Perfect alongside radishes, carrots, and lettuce.

How to Plant Peas

Direct Seeding (Preferred)

  • Sow 2 seeds per hole and thin to the strongest seedling after sprouting.

  • Pre-soak seeds overnight to speed up germination in cool soil.

  • Install supports at planting — trellises, cages, or strings — to keep vines off the soil.

Transplanting (Optional)

  • Start peas indoors in biodegradable plugs 2–3 weeks before last frost for earlier harvests.

  • Transplant carefully to avoid disturbing delicate roots.

Watering Your Peas

Peas prefer even moisture but dislike soggy soil:

  • Use your WaterStem: when the Hummingbird rises, the reservoir’s full; when it drops, refill.

  • Before establishment: Top-water gently for 7–10 days after planting.

  • After establishment: Refill reservoirs every 1–2 weeks depending on weather.

  • Mulch lightly to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature.

  • For early-season SIP watering strategies, see the March Gardening Guide.

Harvesting Peas

  • Timing: Ready 55–70 days after sowing, depending on variety.

  • Snow Peas: Harvest when pods are flat and tender.

  • Snap Peas: Pick when pods swell slightly but remain crisp.

  • Shelling Peas: Wait until pods are plump and full for best sweetness.

  • Frequent harvesting encourages continued production through late spring.

Common Issues & Fixes

Issue Likely Cause Solution
Yellowing Leaves Overwatering or poor drainage Use SIPs or wicking beds for consistent hydration
Poor Germination Cold, soggy soil Pre-soak seeds and plant into well-draining SIP mixes
Aphids Spring pest pressure Spray with water or interplant nasturtiums as trap crops

Companion Plants for Peas

Best companions (with cross-links):

  • Radishes → Quick-growing, loosen soil for pea roots, and double up early spring yields.

  • Carrots → Shallow and deep-rooted synergy, ideal for SIP interplanting.

  • Lettuce → Uses shade from pea vines to stay cool in late spring.

  • Spinach → Great in early-season SIP beds; thrives under pea canopy.

  • Cucumbers → Take over after peas finish; maximizes SIP succession cropping.

Avoid planting with:

  • Onions & Garlic → Can stunt pea growth when planted too closely.

  • Heavy feeders like corn nearby — peas prefer lighter soils without competition.

Layout Tip:

  • Plant 8 peas per sq ft in SIPs or wicking beds.

  • Install vertical supports behind rows to maximize space.

  • Layer shallow greens like spinach or lettuce under trellises for SIP-friendly productivity.

Product Tips

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