🫛 Field Pea
Pisum sativum var. arvense
cover-crops
annual legume
Fabaceae (Legume)
☀️ Sun
Full sun to light partial shade
💧 Water
Medium; consistent moisture during flowering and pod fill improves yield
🗺️ Zones
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (cool-season; spring or fall planted)
🧪 Soil pH
6.0, 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
🪴 Soil Type
Well-drained loam to clay-loam; tolerates heavier soils better than many legumes
🚿 Drainage
Well-drained; tolerates moderate moisture but not waterlogged conditions
📏 Spacing
Broadcast at 50, 100 lbs/acre; drill at 6, 8 inch rows
📐 Height
2, 4 feet (may benefit from trellising or support crop)
⏱️ Maturity
50, 70 days to flowering; 80, 100 days to grain maturity
🍴 Edible Parts
🍽️ Young shoots and tendrils (salads, stir-fries)
🍽️ Dry peas (split peas, soups, dhal)
🍽️ Can be harvested fresh as garden peas
Key:🤝 Grows well together❌ Keep apart☀️ Sun needs💧 Water🗺️ Hardiness zone
🤝 Companions (8)
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators
Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators
⚠️ Keep Apart (3)
Gladiolus and peas share susceptibility to certain fungal rots; avoid planting in close proximity.
Alliums can inhibit pea growth and nitrogen fixation; avoid planting peas immediately after or near alliums.
⚠️ Other legumes (too close in rotation)
Continuous legume plantings build up pea-specific soil pathogens; rotate with non-legumes.
💊 Medicinal Uses
Medicinal Properties
- Good source of plant-based protein and fiber
- Contains lignans with potential cancer-protective properties
- Rich in B vitamins and minerals including iron and zinc
📝 Growing Notes
Excellent cool-season nitrogen fixer , typically 50, 100 lbs N/acre. Often mixed with oats or barley as nurse/support crop. Winter-kills in zones 6 and colder, providing easy spring mulch. Austrian winter pea is a popular cold-hardy variety.
🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Botanical Interests
True Leaf Market
Burpee
Territorial Seed Company
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