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Peas

When to start, transplant and harvest peas, as 6 university extension services put it, and what that means in each zone.

Family
Fabaceae4
Type
Legume
Rules
9
Last reviewed
Garden experts do not always agree, so I show every rule side by side.

Five digits. The calendar is computed on your device.

Spring timing, source by source

Every rule counts from the last spring frost, so the same rule gives different dates in different gardens. Here are the rules themselves before any dates are worked out.

  1. Colorado StateSow outdoors
  2. Oregon State, central ORTransplant outdoors
  3. Oregon State, central ORStart indoors
  4. Texas A&M (E-502)Sow outdoors
  • Plant outdoors
  • Start indoors
Figure 1. How each extension source times peas in spring, in weeks before or after the last frost. Sources disagree; each bar is one publication's rule, shown as written.

Fall timing, source by source

Fall rules count from the first fall frost.

  1. Texas A&M (E-502)Plant for fall
  • Plant outdoors
Figure 2. How each extension source times peas in fall, in weeks before or after the first frost. Rules written for warm states sit weeks earlier than those for cold ones.
Table 1. Planting rules for peas, as published.
SourceWritten forWhatWhen
Colorado State1COSow outdoors2-4 weeks before last frost
Oregon State, central OR7central OregonTransplant outdoors4 weeks before last frost
Oregon State, central OR7central OregonStart indoors8 weeks before last frost
Texas A&M (E-502)5TXSow outdoors2-8 weeks before last frost
Texas A&M (E-502)5TXPlant for fall2-12 weeks before first frost
Purdue (HO-66)3INPlant for fallCount back days to maturity from the first frost
Nebraska (G1343)6NEPlant for fallCount back days to maturity + 14-day fall factor (+14 for tender crops) from the first frost

Peas by hardiness zone

Applied to the frost records of every ZIP in each zone. The zone median is a starting point; your own station can be weeks earlier or later.

Table 2. Outdoor planting for peas by zone, using the Oregon State, central OR rule. Linked zones have their own page.
ZoneWhatZone medianAcross most of the zone
4aTransplant outdoorsApr 14Apr 7 – Apr 26
4bTransplant outdoorsApr 10Apr 3 – Apr 27
5aTransplant outdoorsApr 5Mar 29 – Apr 22
5bTransplant outdoorsApr 3Mar 24 – Apr 19
6aTransplant outdoorsMar 31Mar 19 – Apr 12
6bTransplant outdoorsMar 25Mar 13 – Apr 5
7aTransplant outdoorsMar 19Mar 7 – Mar 31
7bTransplant outdoorsMar 8Mar 2 – Mar 20
8aTransplant outdoorsMar 1Feb 21 – Mar 10
8bTransplant outdoorsFeb 18Feb 7 – Mar 4
9aTransplant outdoorsFeb 3Jan 19 – Feb 19

Growing facts

Table 3. Each value as one source states it. Sources measure differently, so values are not averaged.
FactValueSource
Frost tolerancehardyColorado State1
Frost tolerancehardyUtah State2
Frost tolerancehardyPurdue (HO-66)3
Minimum soil temperature40°FColorado State1
Best soil temperature70°FColorado State1
Days to germinate6-15 daysColorado State1
Days to maturity65 days from seedColorado State1
Days to maturity60-80 days from seedUF/IFAS Florida4
Days to maturity60 days from seedPurdue (HO-66)3
Days to maturity55-90 days from seedTexas A&M (E-502)5
Spacing4-6 in apart each wayColorado State1
Spacing2-6 in in the row, rows 12 in apartUF/IFAS Florida4
Spacing1 in in the row, rows 18-36 in apartTexas A&M (E-502)5
Spacing1 in in the rowPurdue (HO-66)3
Heat limit70°FColorado State1
Heat limit85°FPurdue (HO-66)3
Heat limit85°FNebraska (G1343)6

Companions, and how sure anyone is

  • Onions · Avoid together Traditional pairing8

  • Garlic · Avoid together Traditional pairing8

    The chart says "onion family"; garlic is an onion-family (Allium) crop.

  • Potatoes · Avoid together Traditional pairing8

  • Beans · Helps Traditional pairing8

  • Carrots · Helps Traditional pairing8

  • Cucumbers · Helps Traditional pairing8

Traditional pairings come from a UC Master Gardener chart that traces to the UC Davis Edible Landscaping Handbook and ATTRA. The chart gives no reasons, and we found no trial of these pairs; treat them as garden lore.

All peas companions, with sources · The full companion chart

Sources

  1. Colorado State University Extension, Vegetable Planting Guide (CMG GardenNotes #720), reviewed September 2024. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
  2. Utah State University Extension, Suggested Vegetable Planting Dates for Utah, January 2018; revised May 2025. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
  3. Purdue Extension, The Fall Vegetable Garden (HO-66-W), reviewed September 2019. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
  4. University of Florida, IFAS Extension (Department of Horticultural Sciences), Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP 103 / VH021), Original December 1999; revised October 2015, January 2016, May 2018, September 2020, September 2021, and June 2025. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
  5. Texas AgriLife Extension Service, The Texas A&M System, Texas Home Vegetable Gardening Guide (E-502), 2/09. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
  6. University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension, Fall Vegetable Gardening (NebGuide G1343), Revised March 2012. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
  7. Oregon State University Extension Service, When to start seeds indoors in central Oregon, reviewed 2024. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
  8. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCCE Master Gardener Program), Companion Planting Chart: Companion planting in the vegetable garden, File dated 2023-09 in URL path; no date printed. Retrieved 2026-11-02.