Garden Care Guide

Pea Care

Pisum sativum

A cool-season, climbing legume. It is sown in autumn or early spring; yield drops quickly in summer heat.

Hardy · -8 °C / 18 °F

Monthly care calendar

Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.

January
  • Watering: In the cool season, rainfall is often enough; during a long dry spell, water every 10-15 days just enough to keep the soil moist.
  • Frost risk: Young peas tolerate down to -8 °C; plants in flower, however, are damaged by frost.
February
  • Watering: In the cool season, rainfall is often enough; during a long dry spell, water every 10-15 days just enough to keep the soil moist.
  • Fertilizing: Peas fix their own nitrogen; compost alone before sowing is enough.
  • General care: Sow the seeds directly 4-5 cm deep, 40-60 cm between rows and 5 cm within the row. For tall varieties, set up a 1-1.5 m brushwood or netting support at sowing time.
March
  • Watering: In the cool season, rainfall is often enough; during a long dry spell, water every 10-15 days just enough to keep the soil moist.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Sow the seeds directly 4-5 cm deep, 40-60 cm between rows and 5 cm within the row. For tall varieties, set up a 1-1.5 m brushwood or netting support at sowing time.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
April
  • Watering: If there is no rain, water 1-2 times a week; the soil should not stay constantly wet.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Harvest: Pick shelling peas when the pods are plump and bright green, and sugar peas every 2-3 days before the peas become prominent; regular picking prolongs flowering.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
May
  • Watering: If there is no rain, water 1-2 times a week; the soil should not stay constantly wet.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Harvest: Pick shelling peas when the pods are plump and bright green, and sugar peas every 2-3 days before the peas become prominent; regular picking prolongs flowering.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for white, powdery spots on the leaves (powdery mildew). Thinning dense branches to increase airflow slows its spread.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
June
  • Watering: Water deeply at the base 2-3 times a week, in the early morning; do not water again until the soil surface has dried 2-3 cm down.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Harvest: Pick shelling peas when the pods are plump and bright green, and sugar peas every 2-3 days before the peas become prominent; regular picking prolongs flowering.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for white, powdery spots on the leaves (powdery mildew). Thinning dense branches to increase airflow slows its spread.
October
  • Watering: If there is no rain, water 1-2 times a week; the soil should not stay constantly wet.
  • Fertilizing: Peas fix their own nitrogen; compost alone before sowing is enough.
  • General care: Sow the seeds directly 4-5 cm deep, 40-60 cm between rows and 5 cm within the row. For tall varieties, set up a 1-1.5 m brushwood or netting support at sowing time.
November
  • Watering: In the cool season, rainfall is often enough; during a long dry spell, water every 10-15 days just enough to keep the soil moist.
  • General care: Sow the seeds directly 4-5 cm deep, 40-60 cm between rows and 5 cm within the row. For tall varieties, set up a 1-1.5 m brushwood or netting support at sowing time.
December
  • Watering: In the cool season, rainfall is often enough; during a long dry spell, water every 10-15 days just enough to keep the soil moist.

The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.

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