How to grow Pea (Hurst Green Shaft)

Pisum sativum

🥕 Vegetable 🌱 Grown each year

Heavy crops of long pods packed with sweet peas; mildew-resistant and one of the best-tasting maincrop peas.

At a glance: Sow early March to mid June, harvest from mid May.

When to sow, plant and harvest

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Sow outdoors

Harvest

Timed for a typical UK garden (last frost mid-April). The app uses your own town's frost dates.

Early March – mid June · 6 weeks before the last spring frost
Sow Seeds Outdoors
Sow thinly in drills where they are to grow. Mice love pea seed — sowing in guttering or pots indoors avoids losses.
7–14 days after “Sow Seeds Indoors” · Early March – mid March
Check Germination
Seedlings should appear in 7–14 days. If sown outdoors, thin to 5 cm, rows 45 cm apart apart when big enough to handle.
7–21 days after “Plant Out” · Mid March – late March
Add Support
Push in pea sticks or put up netting 90 cm tall for the tendrils to climb.
71–92 days after “Check Germination” · Mid May – early June
Start Harvesting
Pick pods as soon as the peas fill out; the more you pick, the more you get.
14–28 days after “Start Harvesting” · Early June – mid June
Sow Another Batch (optional)
Sow another short row every 3–4 weeks until early summer for a continuous supply.
35–65 days after “Sow Another Batch” · Early July – early August
Finish and Clear
Clear the remains to the compost heap once cropping ends.