Growing guide
How to grow peas in Ireland
Peas offer three harvests: shelling peas for the seeds inside, mangetout for flat edible pods, and sugar snaps for fleshy pods with developing peas. Choose the eating stage before buying seed. Supporting and picking while pods are tender are the main practical tasks. A spring direct sowing with supports installed early is a manageable first method.
On this page
At a glance
- Start with
- Seed suited to sowing date, pod type and support height
- Best position
- Well-drained ground, not saturated merely because spring has arrived
When and where to start
Indoor sowing. Suitable first-early varieties can be sown in pots in a frame in February for an optional early crop.
Direct sowing. Sow mainly March to June. Suitable late varieties can extend into mid-July, with greater dependence on conditions. Small sowings two or three weeks apart spread picking.
Planting out. The protected early crop moves outside in April. Acclimatise it and preserve rootballs instead of abruptly exposing tender plants.
Planting and spacing
Make a flat-bottomed drill about 15 cm wide and 5 cm deep, with seeds roughly 5 cm apart. Allow about 90 cm between rows for supports and access.
A separate bed method uses about 50 seeds per square metre, roughly 14 cm apart. This is not the same pattern as seed within a wide drill.
Install netting or twiggy supports before stems reach about 10 cm. Shorter varieties are easier to support, but collapsed vines make picking awkward.
Routine care
Weed young rows and guide tendrils towards supports where needed. Mix well-rotted compost into poor soil; routine heavy nitrogen feeding is not the aim for this nitrogen-fixing crop.
Supply water in dry weather and inspect supports as foliage expands. Easy access helps prevent ripe pods being left hidden.
Teagasc gives roughly seven to fifteen weeks from sowing, influenced by season. This is guidance, not a guaranteed maturity date for every type.
What to watch for
Birds, aphids, thrips and pea and bean weevil are listed pests. Check young plants and both leaf surfaces, not just the top growth.
Powdery mildew and root rot can affect peas. Review conditions and recurring symptoms; extra fertiliser does not repair roots struggling in wet ground.
Harvest and storage
Pick mangetout while flat, sugar snaps while fleshy and shelling peas when seeds are filled but tender. Support the vine with one hand while picking with the other.
Gather regularly and use close to harvest. Small frequent pickings help preserve their tender texture and sweetness.
Common questions
Are ordinary pea pods eaten?
For shelling varieties the seeds are the crop. Choose mangetout or sugar snaps for edible pods.
Do short plants need support?
They need less elaborate structures, but upright vines still make picking orderly.
Why is mangetout tough?
It may have stayed until seeds developed. Pick younger, flatter pods at the intended stage.