Harvest guide

Pea harvest guide: when to pick and how much to expect

Peas are at their sweetest the day they're picked. Sugar snaps, mangetout and shelling peas are ready at different stages, so here is how to tell.

Days to harvest: 50–65 days from sowing(Montana State University Extension)
Harvest months: June–October(RHS)
Typical yield: 0.9 kg per 3 m row (2 lb per 10 ft)(Montana State University Extension)
Spacing: 7.5 cm (3 in) apart(RHS)
Family: Fabaceae (legume family)
Botanical name: Pisum sativum

Pea planting and harvest calendar

Sow February–June. Harvest June–October.(RHS)

Peas season timeline

Sow
Harvest

Months are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate, based on RHS (UK) guidance. Shift them earlier or later to match your own frost dates, or by about six months in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sow
Harvest

When to harvest peas

Pick sugar snap and mangetout pods at about 7.5 cm (3 in) long, just as the peas inside begin to swell.(RHS)
Shelling peas are ready when the pods are well filled.(RHS)
Pods form low on the plant first, so start at the bottom and work up.(RHS)

How often to pick

Pick regularly or the plants stop flowering. Plants crop for several weeks.(RHS)

How many peas to expect

A 3 m (10 ft) row typically gives about 0.9 kg (2 lb). Fresh peas.(Montana State University Extension)

Yields vary with variety, weather, soil and care. Treat these as ballpark figures, not targets.

Plan for your family

For 4 people eating peas fresh, plan on about 12–18 m (40–60 ft) of row(University of Missouri Extension). That should give roughly 4–5 kg (8–12 lb)(Montana State University Extension).

To preserve or store some as well, allow 7.6–9.1 m (25–30 ft) of row per person.(University of Missouri Extension)

See the full planting-per-person guide →

Storing your peas

Eat peas as soon as you can after picking, while they are sweetest. Freeze any extra.(RHS)
In the fridge, keep pods cold and humid and use within about a week.(University of Minnesota Extension)

Track it

Log every pea harvest

Harvest Journal is a private garden journal for your phone. Tap to log each picking of peas by weight or count, and see your season add up, with no account needed.