Do you pre-sprout your peas? The optimum temp for germination of pea's, I think is 75 degrees, if you plant them I think it will still take awhile to germinate and with the wet weather coming they might rot. I take my seeds and place them in a paper towel sprinkle a little inoculant in the paper towel with the seeds then wet it. In 3 days or so they will sprout. After they sprout plant them in the garden with a little more inoculant in the furrow and in 2 to 3 days they are peaking through the ground and flourishing in the cool weather. Just something that works for me.

Optimum temperature for pea germination is anything over 40* and under 75* from the best info I can find. I thing you could probally start them soon.

I have found my peas will rot if it is cool and wet.

If you can warm up the soil for a week or two, and keep it from getting more rain/snow, you should be alright.

My garden still has several inches of snow on it and is in no shape for peas. So, two days ago I went out and removed the snow from the area where I will grow peas this year and then I covered the area with plastic held up by hoops. It should be warm and dry enough in a week or two. This is a raised bed, which also helps.

I will also presprout my peas indoors before putting them in the garden.

In the past I've used a cold frame, but it's busy right now housing my winter sowing experiment ;-).

Daylilyfanatic4, I agree peas will germinate from 40* to 75*. It takes up to 36 days at 40* and 9 days at 60* and 3 to 5 days at the OPTIMUM temp of 75*. I agree with potterhead2 that warming the soil with plastic helps alot, it also keeps it dry.

I was going to ask this question, Instead I just done it. What do you have to lose? Nothing but a few seeds and some time. I'm zone 5 and my gardening guide says March 20 as well. I planted my spinach, sugar peas and shell peas last night. We had a little rain today, but not what they were calling for. I did plug a probe in the soil and registered 46 degrees in Indianapolis. The agriculure college says for peas. 40/75 with optimum 75.
I did plant my seeds twice what I normally would.
I say go for it!

I would not plant them in cold soil. What have you got to lose? Well, about 3 weeks of growing weather and a good chance of spotty germination, seed rotting, poor stand ect. I would either warm that soil up or I would presprout the seed. Look up seed sprouting times on google and you will see that, as mentioned above, the time to sprout in cool soil could be a very long time. By the time the seed sprouts, you could be in for hot weather before the peas have a chance to produce, which you don't want. steve

I planted some sugar snap peas yesterday and then covered the soil with clear plastic til they start coming up.

I am near Indianapolis and I planted my peas last year on March 22 and they did great. According to the local (Purdue) horticulture website, planting time for peas in our area begins March 20. Yesterday I went out and dug up the area where I will plant the peas this year. This weekend I will fix the trellises I built last year and stored in the barn over the winter. I plan to plant on March 20. I know the original poster is in Maine but is also in zone 5. I would check your local horticulture office and see what they recommend for your area. Peas are a cool weather crop. They are one of the few things that can handle weather that is still on the cool side.

Planting early, even if the seeds do not rot, has no advantage if it is going to be cold for months.
I would plant them when the night lows climb over freezing
mark. Then the day highs will be around 55F.

Any reason I should NOT plant my peas now?

Yes. As the others have pointed out, what is your soil temperature? If it is less than 50 degrees you'll just be wasting time and seeds.

It is soil temps that determine proper planting times, not air temps or a calendar. ;)

Dave

I'm hoping to plant peas soon too. I'll plant them, then cover it with some simple cloche. Last year I was shocked at how much of a difference this could make. By the time they're big enough to need the cloche removed and the trellis installed, it should be warm enough.

If you want to be a traditionalist, I think the old saw is "Plant peas when lilac leaves are the size of squirrel's ears."

Dan

My mom used to live in zone 5b and planted her peas right after St. Patrick's day almost every year (unless there was snow on the ground). She also followed the Farmer's Almanac and had great peas every year! I'd go ahead and try it in the next week or so.

If the soil is too wet to work (we have clay) I saw a great idea of using a chop stick to make a hole to plant the pea seed. Mom is in zone 5a now, but plans to plant peas and sweet peas about the first of April...I think she's checking her Farmer's Almanac this weekend :)

I always put my peas in as soon as the snow is off and the soil dry enough; I've never lost them this way, and often gotten an early crop and a larger harvest. Once the summer heats up the pea vines stop producing, so there's a real advantage to being early.

I lived up in Stockton Springs near Belfast, every year I got "tricked" into planting seeds before St. Patricks I just was wasting time & seed. I would (at best) get a 50/50 out of what was in the ground early. What I put in after, had no trouble at all catch'n up with the early peas.

I soon learned more peas growing better, ment more moments hiding behind the vines snap'n an eat'n em for the wife caught me..

Wait up a week or so.
Mac