Photo: "English Shelling Peas" by Whitney
· CC BY 2.0
Vegetable · Pea
Shelling Pea
Fabaceae
Shell before eating — pods discarded. Harvest when pods plump but before wrinkling. Little Marvel: 60 days, bush, sweet. Quality deteriorates RAPIDLY after harvest — shell and eat (or blanch and freeze) SAME DAY. Bush (2-3 ft) or pole (4-5 ft) types.
At a Glance
Days to Maturity
55–70 days
Sun
6+ hours
Container
Yes
2+ gallon pot
Zone Planting Guide
Growing Guide
Germination
Germination Time
7–14 days
Optimal Temp
55°F
Seed Depth
1"
Watering
Weekly Water
1 "
Needs
Moderate
Soil
pH Range
6–7
Resilience
Heat: Low
Cold: Medium
Drought: Medium
Nutrition
Feeding Intensity
Light feeder
Harvest
Pods plump and round with developed peas. Before wrinkling or waxy appearance.
Storage
Harvest when pods are well-filled but still bright green; pick every couple days to prevent starchy peas.
Companion Planting
Good Companions
Nantes carrot
Common companion pairing in charts; efficient use of space with different root zones.
Cherry belle radish
Often paired as a short-season intercrop; can help with spacing/bed use.
Spinach
Cool-season crop that can share bed/season timing with peas.
Nasturtium
Often listed as a pea companion in extension/UC Master Gardener charts.
Marketmore 76 cucumber
Often listed as a compatible companion in charts; similar season timing in many regions.
Avoid Planting Near
Green onion scallion
Allium family is commonly listed as a poor companion for peas/beans.
Softneck garlic
Allium family is commonly listed as a poor companion for peas/beans.
Sources
university
Illinois Extension
university
University of Arkansas Extension — Snow Pea (Plant of the Week)
university
UC Master Gardener Program (UC Davis) — Companion Planting Chart
More Vegetables
Shelling Pea Planting Dates by Zone
Planting dates for Shelling Pea vary by USDA hardiness zone. Select your zone below for frost dates, start-indoors timing, and a full monthly planting calendar.
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