Growing Considerations

• Pea plants thrive in cool and wet weather. They can survive in soil temperatures over 45 degrees F and will grow best in moderate climates.
  
  

Varieties

• The pea plant family includes varieties that grow well in hot summers and those that favor cooler seasons. Pea plants are typically classified as sugar, snap or garden peas.
  
  

Plant Spacing

• An inch between plants is all that peas need to grow in a row. Depending on the type of plant cultivated, 8 to 10 inches between each row should be adequate.
  
  

Deadheading

• By cutting blooms off of mature pea plants, the home gardener can encourage plant productivity. Cutting off flowers ensures that the plant will spend energy on fruit production and not blooms.
  
  

Germination Tips

• An easy way to ensure successful germination of a pea seed is to break the outer coat of the seed, or nick the seed. This process also speeds the process of seed germination by giving the seed access to water.