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Beans, Peas & Legumes

Just how hardy are peas?

15 years ago

An Internet search reveals that peas are completely frost hardy AND that they are frost tender and should be planted after frost danger is past...LOL.

I'm in the mountains of zone 6. We can get late spring frosts into May. When can I plant sugar peas, snap peas, and English peas? I want to plant them as early as possible so we can get some peas before the hotter weather comes.

We just plowed our gardens and can plant any time. What has been your experience with the different types of peas.

I have Sugar Ann, Mammoth Melting Sugar, and Maestro

Thanks!

VG

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Comments (11)

farmerdilla
15 years ago
Just for reference, I grew them for 28 years in Pulaski county ( New River Valley). In that area I planted around the middle of March, depending on soil conditions. They can stand cold down into the lower 20's. They will not tolerate frozen ground, so I could never overwinter them there. The snow peas tolerate cooler conditions for emergence, but once up and growing all English type peas are pretty cold invincible until bloom. They are suceptible to frost when flowering.
vegangirl
Original Author
15 years ago
farmerdilla, thank you so much! I appreciate the reference point and the information.

When you planted in mid March, when did they bloom? If the blooms are frost-killed, will the vines survive and continue to bloom?

Thanks!
VG
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farmerdilla
15 years ago
Early May but usually past frost, which was May 10-15 in that area. Never had a vine killed or lost a crop to frost. Takes a pretty good freeze ( mid to low 20's) to hurt them even when in bloom.
vegangirl
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you. That really helps to give me an idea of when to plant.
VG
billinpa
15 years ago
I usually plant my peas as soon as I cant work in the garden. Cold temps slow down the germination but they always come up eventually. Im going to planting mine tomorrow if time allows.
glorygrown
15 years ago
I pre-sprouted my sugar snaps and yellow podded peas and they are starting to poke up already. I agree since I've never lost peas to cold that they can go in any time, and we've had some late frosts in SE PA. I think maybe the frost tender reference was to flowering peas, which are different and not edible.
vegangirl
Original Author
15 years ago
glorygrown,
I read an article about that and was going to pre-sprout mine but I forgot and planted them! I hope they will do well. This is the first time I've ever planted them this early.
VG
wordwiz
13 years ago
Resurrecting this thread thanks to a Google search!

I have about 80 Super Sugar Snap peas that have germinated and are 2-4" tall. I have an unheated green house I am not using yet so I'm thinking about transplanting them. I won't have to worry about frost but it was 12 degrees this morning inside. Is this too cold? The ground will be warmer - it gets up to 75 or higher inside on a sunny day (it's 67 now, just before noon).

Mike
plantslayer
13 years ago
I was wondering about snow peas as well. Some folks at the Pacific NW forum believe planting snow peas on Presidents Day (around Feb. 20) here is too early. They say that even though the peas germinate, they will grow slowly and suffer damage from slugs etc., eventually producing a smaller crop at the same time as you'd get it if you wait a few weeks later.

Last year I planted out around President's Day and got a nice crop, didn't see much snail action on my rows, but I don't know if it could have been better or not. I think the average temps are in the low to mid 50s around late February here.
watercarving
13 years ago
I'm in North Georgia and want to plant Oregon Sugar Pod II this spring. They did well in the fall but I'm not sure when to plant them here. Sounds like mid-February might be ok?
fusion_power
13 years ago
The tradition in the South is to plant peas between Feb 1st and Valentines day. I have planted up to the middle of March but the crop is much less.

DarJones

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