How to Grow Garden Peas

Garden peas grow on little vines with tendrils that reach out to hold on to something, so when you plant your garden peas you will want to build some sort of support for the plants to climb up. You can use staked garden netting, or even intertwined twigs pushed in the ground alongside the row of peas. The height of your trellis or support will depend on the eventual height of your pea plants, so check the label carefully.

How to germinate garden pea seeds

• Take as many seeds from the packet as you want to grow, and place them in a glass of water overnight to soak. Don't forget at this point, and put them on to cook instead. They are for planting.
• You should see the peas swell. 
• Next day, finish off preparing the ground you have already dug over for your peas. Rake over the surface to provide a nice smooth finish on the earth.
• Create a nice straight line with a length of string with a stake at each end. Try and make this line north to south if possible, so that the peas you plant will get the maximum available sunlight.
• With the end of a dutch hoe or similar instrument, pull or push the earth out to a depth of about 2".
• Take your peas and plant them in the drill about 1" apart.
• Use the hoe to fill in the earth back in so that all the peas are well covered with soil.
• Make two drills about 4-6" apart so that they can share a central support structure.
• Water in well.

A few days later you should see the first seedling appear through the ground. Water every other day if there is no rain.

When the seedlings are a few inches high, erect some form of support for them to reach out to and grow up.

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