Gardening 101: Peas

Peas

Sweet, green, and crunchy, is there anything better than eating snap peas straight out of the garden? Nope!
Peas are easy to grow and they can handle a little frost, making them well suited for Wyoming gardens. Like many vegetables that do well in Wyoming, peas should be planted in the early spring because they do not like the hot weather. However, in some areas they can be planted between July 1-15 for fall harvest. Peas can be stored by freezing for later use- if you don’t eat them all first!

Planting

Plant seeds 1-inch apart in rows 18 to 24 inches apart.
Later, thin plants to 3 inches apart in the rows.
Pea varieties vary in height from 18 inches to 6 feet tall. It may be helpful to grow taller varieties of peas next to something they can climb, like a trellis, wire fence, or chicken wire stretched between stakes.
Water peas regularly, especially once the pods begin forming.

Harvesting

Harvest when pods are still flat, before the seeds start to enlarge.
Pick peas consistently to stretch out the harvest season.

Suggested Varieties

Edible-pod: Dwarf Gray Sugar, Little Sweetie, Oregon Sugar Pod II, Snowbird, Snak Hero
Snap peas: Sugar Ann, Sugar Daddy, Sugar Snap, Super Snappy
Garden: Early Alaska, Little Marvel, Maestro, Mr. Big

Happy gardening!

Information summarized from UW Extension publications by Katie Shockley, Writer/Editor, University of Wyoming Extension Communications & Technology.

Sesame Snap Peas

This quick side dish or snack is crunchy, savory, and bursting with flavor.

Use all snap peas or add some of your other favorite veggies for a splash of color on your plate.

Click the title for the full recipe!

Additional Resources

Learn more about growing peas with these resources from the University of Wyoming Extension:

UWE Publication: Growing Vegetables in Wyoming
Video: Growing Peas

Next up: Green Beans [Coming September 4]

Previous issue: Summer Squash

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