When to plant peas
Peas are a cool-season crop that tolerates light frost and prefers to grow in cool weather. Plant as soon as the soil can be worked; peas tolerate light frost but stop producing in heat.
- Sow seeds outdoors 3–6 weeks before the last spring frost.
- For a fall crop, sow 9–12 weeks before the first fall frost.
About 60 days from planting to harvest.
Get exact dates for your garden
Planting dates by hardiness zone
| Zone | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Sow outdoors | Fall crop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2a | May 24 | — | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jun 14 – Jul 5 |
| 3b | May 17 | — | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | Jul 2 – Jul 23 |
| 4a | May 12 | — | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | Jul 6 – Jul 27 |
| 4b | May 8 | — | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Jul 9 – Jul 30 |
| 5a | May 3 | — | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | Jul 13 – Aug 3 |
| 5b | May 1 | — | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Jul 19 – Aug 9 |
| 6a | Apr 29 | — | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Jul 25 – Aug 15 |
| 6b | Apr 22 | — | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | Jul 30 – Aug 20 |
| 7a | Apr 16 | — | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | Aug 2 – Aug 23 |
| 7b | Apr 5 | — | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Aug 9 – Aug 30 |
| 8a | Mar 29 | — | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | Aug 15 – Sep 5 |
| 8b | Mar 16 | — | Feb 2 – Feb 23 | Aug 22 – Sep 12 |
| 9a | Mar 3 | — | Jan 20 – Feb 10 | Sep 2 – Sep 23 |
| 9b | Feb 20 | — | Jan 9 – Jan 30 | Sep 12 – Oct 3 |
| 10a | Mar 2 | — | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | Sep 8 – Sep 29 |
Zone rows use the median frost dates of all ZIP codes in that zone. Zones measure winter cold, not season length, so two places in the same zone can have frost dates weeks apart — use your ZIP code for real dates.
When to plant peas in major cities
| City | Median last frost | Sow outdoors | Fall crop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | Mar 13 | Jan 30 – Feb 20 | Aug 25 – Sep 15 |
| Portland, OR | Feb 25 | Jan 14 – Feb 4 | Sep 8 – Sep 29 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | Apr 25 | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | Jul 26 – Aug 16 |
| Denver, CO | Apr 30 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Jul 20 – Aug 10 |
| Minneapolis, MN | Apr 23 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Jul 24 – Aug 14 |
| Chicago, IL | Apr 10 | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Aug 13 – Sep 3 |
| Detroit, MI | Apr 27 | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Aug 2 – Aug 23 |
| Kansas City, MO | Apr 4 | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | Aug 10 – Aug 31 |
| Columbus, OH | Apr 20 | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Aug 1 – Aug 22 |
| Boston, MA | Apr 4 | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | Aug 17 – Sep 7 |
| New York, NY | Mar 30 | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Aug 28 – Sep 18 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Mar 30 | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Aug 25 – Sep 15 |
| Washington, DC | Mar 29 | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | Aug 16 – Sep 6 |
| Charlotte, NC | Mar 30 | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Aug 11 – Sep 1 |
| Nashville, TN | Apr 1 | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | Aug 8 – Aug 29 |
| Atlanta, GA | Mar 25 | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Aug 17 – Sep 7 |
| Dallas, TX | Mar 2 | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | Sep 6 – Sep 27 |
Growing peas: quick facts
| Frost tolerance | Hardy: survives hard frosts, down to about 25°F or colder |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | at least 40°F to germinate; 45–75°F is ideal |
| Planting depth | 1–2 in |
| Spacing | 2 in |
| Germination | 7–14 days |
| Days to harvest | about 60 days from planting |
Typical figures from university extension planting guides. Seed packets give the best numbers for a specific variety.