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Peas (Snap, Snow, Shelling) — Pisum sativum

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Peas (Snap, Snow, Shelling) — Pisum sativum

layout: base.njk title: Peas description: Growing Peas in West Virginia (Zone 6b/7a) category: cool-season

Quick Reference: See detailed growing information below
Green pea pods on vine

Type: Annual
Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Sun: Full sun to part shade (6+ hours, tolerates light shade)
Water: Moderate (1-1.5" per week, consistent moisture during flowering/pod set)
Soil pH: 6.0-7.5 (optimal 6.5-7.0)
Hardiness: Zones 2-11 (very cold hardy, one of first spring crops)

🌱 Expected Yield

  • Per plant: Snap/snow peas: 0.5-1 lb per plant. Shelling peas: 0.25-0.5 lb shelled peas per plant.
  • Per 10' row: Snap/snow: 8-15 lbs. Shelling: 4-8 lbs shelled.
  • Per season: With succession planting (spring + fall): 15-30 lbs per 10' row annually.

🏺 Heirloom Varieties (5-10+)

Shelling (English) Peas

'Little Marvel'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds.com), Johnny's Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com)
  • Days: 63 days
  • Notes: English heirloom from 1908. Dwarf bush type (24-30", needs minimal support). 3-4" pods with 7-9 peas. Sweet, tender. Cold hardy. Excellent flavor. Standard for home gardens. All-America Selections winner.

'Alderman' (Telephone Pole)

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (southernexposure.com)
  • Days: 75 days
  • Notes: Heirloom from 1890s. Tall vines (5-7', needs sturdy support). Large pods (4-5") with 9-11 peas. Exceptionally sweet flavor. High yield. Late maturing. Traditional variety. Requires trellising.

'Lincoln' (Homesteader)

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 67 days
  • Notes: American heirloom from 1930s. Medium vines (30-36"). 3-4" pods. Sweet, tender peas. Heat tolerant. Reliable producer. Classic American garden pea. Excellent flavor.

'Green Arrow'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 68 days
  • Notes: English heirloom. Medium-tall vines (30-36"). Long pods (4-5") with 9-11 peas. Dark green pods. Sweet flavor. High yield. Heat tolerant. Standard for market production.

'Wando'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 70 days
  • Notes: American heirloom from 1940s. Medium vines (30-36"). Heat and cold tolerant. Flexible planting dates. 3-4" pods. Good flavor. Reliable in variable conditions. Good for late spring planting.

Snow Peas (Sugar Peas, Mange-tout)

'Oregon Sugar Pod II'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 62 days
  • Notes: Improved heirloom. Dwarf bush (24-30", minimal support). Large, flat pods. Sweet, tender. Stringless. Powdery mildew resistant. All-America Selections winner. Easy to grow.

'Mammoth Melting'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Burpee (burpee.com)
  • Days: 65 days
  • Notes: Heirloom. Tall vines (4-5', needs support). Large pods (4-5"). Sweet, tender. High yield. Traditional for Chinese cuisine. Stringless when young.

'Sugar Ann'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 52 days
  • Notes: Early dwarf variety (24-30"). Very sweet. Stringless. All-America Selections winner. Good for containers. Early harvest. Mild flavor.

Snap Peas

'Sugar Snap'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 63 days
  • Notes: Original snap pea from 1970s. Tall vines (6-7', needs support). Fat, edible pods. Sweet, crunchy. Stringless. All-America Selections winner. Revolutionized pea eating (eat pod and all). Standard for snap peas.

'Sugar Snap' (Dwarf)

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Baker Creek
  • Days: 63 days
  • Notes: Dwarf version of original. Bush habit (24-30"). Same sweet flavor. Minimal support needed. Good for containers. Easier to harvest.

'Cascadia'

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Baker Creek
  • Days: 58 days
  • Notes: Early snap pea. Bush habit (24-30"). Stringless pods. Sweet flavor. Powdery mildew resistant. All-America Selections winner. Reliable producer.

🌾 Seed Saving

  • Method: Peas are annual, self-pollinating (flowers fertilize themselves before opening). This makes seed saving easy—varieties don't cross readily. Allow best pods to mature on vine—turn brown, dry, rattle when shaken.

Don't harvest for eating; let pods fully mature. Pick pods when brown and dry. Split pods, remove seeds.

Peas should be rock-hard, fully dry. If humid, finish drying indoors on screens 1-2 weeks. Store in airtight containers. - Isolation distance: 150-200 feet between varieties (though peas self-pollinate, 5-10% cross-pollination can occur via insects).

For home use, 50 feet usually adequate. Cage individual plants if growing multiple varieties close together. - Viability: 3-5 years when stored in cool, dry, dark conditions in airtight containers. Pea seeds are relatively large and store well. - Special notes: Save seed from minimum 5-10 plants to maintain genetic diversity.

Select for flavor, pod size, disease resistance, earliness, heat/cold tolerance. Peas easiest legume for seed saving—self-pollinating means minimal isolation needed. Let pods dry completely on vine for best viability.

In humid climates, harvest when pods brown but before mold develops, finish drying indoors. Pea weevil can infest stored seeds—freeze seeds 3-5 days after drying to kill any eggs. Store in airtight containers with silica gel or dry rice to maintain low humidity.

Peas are large seeds—easy to handle, process. Save seeds from healthiest, most productive plants. For continuous improvement, select plants with most pods, best flavor, disease resistance..

Added to WV Planting Guide 26155 — The Loop Farmstead