One of the first signs of spring, besides all the snow melting and the birds chirping, is planting peas. Peas are one of the first seeds to sow in the garden. Each year I like to plant snow and snap peas. In this post, I would like to show you how to grow peas in a garden.

How to Grow Peas in a Garden

Peas are just about the easiest crops to grow. They like to grow up things, so you will need to build some trellis. I have seen many inventive ways people have used objects for their peas to grow on. From branches, ropes to very elaborate contraptions. I like to use some simple fencing stakes and string. Tomato cages also work very well.

Preparing the Soil

The first thing you will need to do is prepare your soil. I use a combination of organic fertilizer and compost from my compost bin. I use a garden hoe to break up the soil and remove any weeds and old roots from the previous year. You can also use a tiller to till the soil. Once the soil is good and clean, I add a good few hands full of organic fertilizer for vegetable gardens. After that, I put in about 6 shovels full of compost. Make sure to give it a good mix into the soil.

Building the Trellis

You can use many things to allow your peas to grow on. I like to build a trellis out of fencing stakes and string. Place your stakes about 3 feet apart. I used three because of the size (8ft. X 4ft.) of my raised beds. You can use a hammer or a mallet to drive the stakes into the ground. Once they are in, it’s time to tie on some string. Just work your way from one side to the other. Make sure the string is tight and not sagging.

Sowing the Peas

Now it’s time to sow your peas. I planted two rows of snow peas and two rows of snap peas. Dig a small trench just below the trellis on each side and sprinkle the seeds down the row. You don’t have to be perfect, and you can be relatively generous. Then add a little fertilizer on top of the pea seeds. I find this is the best way on how to grow peas. Now cover the seeds back up with soil. Give them a good watering, and you’re done.

Conclusion

You should expect the peas to come to maturity in about 2 1/2 to 3 months. Once they are mature and stop producing, the plant will start to turn yellow. When that happens, it’s time to rip them out and plant something else. Snow and snap peas are great in all types of dishes. I like to eat them raw, right in the pod. They are so sweet and crunchy. They go great with a salad, steamed, or in a stir-fry. They also have the added benefit of injecting nitrogen back into the soil, which helps out the next crop you plant in that bed. Learning how to grow peas in your garden is a great way to eat healthy and organic.

Update

Here are some pictures of how my peas looked this year. It looks like my technique paid off:

Checkout my garden page for more information on what I grow.