edenhana

Peas

A cool-season climber that fixes nitrogen in the soil; needs trellis support and regular picking to keep producing.

Sun
full sun
Water
moderate
Spacing
8cm
Harvest
Ready in 60-90 days
Difficulty
beginner
Grows in
Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
Expected yield
Regular pod picking over 4-6 weeks
Cost to grow
~$6 NZD
Grocery value
~$25 NZD
Companion plants
Beans, Carrot, Cucumber, Radishes, Sweetcorn, Turnips, Potatoes
Plants to avoid nearby
Onion family, Garlic, Celery, Tomatoes
Common diseases
Powdery mildew
Common pests
Aphids, Pea weevil

When to plant by region

In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: January-March and July-December. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: February-March and August-November. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast and Christchurch / Canterbury: February and August-October. In Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: August-September.

Growing stages

  1. Germination & sowing

    • Sow direct in the cool season; put trellis support in place at sowing time since this crop climbs
    • Nitrogen-fixing roots mean peas don't need heavily enriched soil to get started

  2. Seedling & establishment

    • Aphids can appear on soft new shoots early; guide seedlings onto the trellis as they start to climb
    • Watch for early pea weevil notching on leaf edges once true leaves emerge

  3. Vegetative growth

    • Continue training vines onto the trellis as the canopy fills in
    • Powdery mildew can develop on foliage later in the season, especially where airflow is poor

  4. Flowering & podding

    • Pea weevil can notch leaf edges and its larvae damage developing seeds inside pods; check flowers and young pods
    • Powdery mildew risk increases as the canopy thickens; good airflow around the trellis helps

  5. Harvest60-90 days from sowing, over 4-6 weeks of picking

    • Pick pods regularly once they fill out, as regular picking encourages further flowering and podding
    • Check the trellis every few days rather than in one pass, since pods across a 4-6 week window mature unevenly

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