How to grow peas in Perth

If your wondering how to grow peas in your garden your in luck because it’s incredibly easy. Peas are a cool season crop. They grow through autumn, winter and spring in Western Australia. Fun-fact peas are one of the oldest vegetables grown by man and are thought to have been around for around 9000 years. There are two main types of peas for the home gardener to grow – Shelling peas, where the tough pod is discarded, and mangetout which is French for “eat all” where the whole tender pod is eaten.

Peas are available in dwarf and climbing types. Even dwarf peas, which grow between 60-100cm tall, benefit from some support – a stake at each end of the rows and some string can be used. Climbing peas grow from about 1.2-2m tall, depending on the variety, so a trellis of wire mesh or something similar should be in place prior to the peas being sown.

Peas are particularly easy to grow from seed. They germinate quickly so if you are looking to get your kids into gardening then why not show them how to grow peas in Perth.

Types of peas in Western Australia:
Peas include the garden pea that we shell and edible podded peas like sugar snap peas and snow peas, which don’t have a tough pod as the common garden pea and can be eaten whole. Snap Peas, also known as sugar snaps are an edible pod variety which have a rounded pod. Snow peas are similar to snap peas but have a thin shaped pod.

When to plant peas in Perth:
Peas prefer a deep, loamy soil. They require a sunny, nutrient-rich, moisture-retentive site. Dig over the soil and add plenty of organic matter as this will help to improve the soil’s moisture-retaining ability.

Depending on where in Western Australia you live, peas are planted out in in late autumn or winter as they require cool, moist growing conditions. Temperatures above 30C will cause early maturity and small crops. Frost can make the flowers sterile or cause a white mottled skin on the pods. Peas will grow well in soil that has recently has a tomatoes as they add nitrogen to the soil. A complete fertiliser is recommended for optimum crops.

When to harvest peas:
Harvest peas regularly to keep them producing the more you pick, the more they will produce.

Shelling Peas – These take between 40 and 70 days until they are ready for harvest, depending on the variety. Pick the peas when they young and tender to eat fresh or leave on the vine to dry if you want to add them to a soup.

Sugar Peas – These take between 40 and 45 days from seed to harvest, sugar snap peas are harvested when the pods are fully developed and have small peas inside. They are great straight from the vine or in a salad.

Snow Peas – These take between 40 and 45 days from planting to harvest also. Pick peas when they are completely flat and before seeds start to develop. While you can eat them raw, steaming them brings out the sweetness. Snow peas also make a great addition to any stir fry.

Common problems growing peas:
A common mistake first time growers make is over-watering during germination can cause the seeds to rot and the plants to die.

Powdery mildew and snails and slugs must be monitored.

How to store peas:
Place peas in a plastic bag in the vegetable crisper section of the refrigerator to keep them moist. Peas will keep in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. Peas that can’t be used in a week should be frozen.

How to freeze peas:
Fresh peas are a perfect candidate for being frozen. Here are the easy steps for freezing fresh peas.

1. Preparation: Set a pot of water to boil on the stove. Prepare a large bowl of ice water nearby.
2. Shell the Peas: Snap off the stem end of the pea pod and pull it towards the tip. Simply open the pods and remove the peas.
3. Blanch the Shelled Peas: Drop shelled peas into the pot of rapidly boiling water. Cook them for just 1 1/2 minutes. Drain the peas quickly in a colander.
4. Chill the Blanched Peas in Ice Water: Immediately transfer the peas to the bowl of ice water. This stops the residual heat from cooking them further. Leave the peas in the ice water for 2 minutes. Drain the peas well in a colander.
5. Single-Layer Freeze: Spread the blanched peas in a single layer on a baking tray. Use a tray with raised edges so that the peas don’t roll off into your freezer during the process. Freeze for 1 hour.
6. Store the Frozen Peas: Transfer the frozen peas to freezer bags and label the bags with the date.

How long do frozen peas last?
Frozen peas will last in a conventional freezer for six months. They are still safe to eat after that, but their quality will decline.

If you have any tips on how to grow peas please feel free to share them in the comments section below.

Check out our other how to grow in Perth guides:

• Grow broad beans in Perth
• Grow carrots in Perth
• Grow corn in Perth