Planting guide · zone 5b
When to plant peas in zone 5b
In zone 5b, the average last spring frost is May 8 and the first fall frost is Oct 8. Here is peas's whole year, counted from those dates.
Mar 27Direct sowSpring
Apr 10Succession sowing 2Spring
Jul 30Direct sowFall
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Soil & site
Average, well-drained soil. A legume — skip nitrogen fertilizer; a dusting of inoculant helps instead.
Seedling care
Direct sow. The spring window is short in the South, so get them in early — they laugh at light frost.
Growing notes
Trellis even the bush types; everything is easier off the ground.
Harvest
Pick daily once pods size up: snap and snow types at pod stage, shelling types when peas are plump but still glossy.