When to plant Peas in Edinburgh

Pisum sativum

A cool-season crop grown for sweet pods or shelling peas. Sow in spring. Give plants support, and protect seed from mice and pigeons.

100 cm · Full Sun · Moderate Water

Sow indoors March to April, plant out April to May, harvest June to August. Typical frost risk October to May.
Activity	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
Sow indoors	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Plant out	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Harvest	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No

Growing guide

What to do through the growing season

Change the guide to see different planting timelines and tips.

Start peas in guttering or deep modules to keep mice off the seed, then slide them out as a block.

01
Sow Seeds Indoors
20 Mar to 4 Apr
Sow in guttering or deep modules around 20th March - 4th April. Space seeds about apart. Cover with of compost. Keep at until they germinate.
02
Harden Off Seedlings
10 Apr to 2 May Dates as each sowing reaches this stage
Harden seedlings off over 7 to 10 days, from 10th April. Start with a few hours in a sheltered spot.
03
Transplant Outdoors
20 Apr to 4 May
Slide the block into a shallow trench around 20th April - 4th May. Do not split the plants. Space rows apart. Water in. Put pea sticks or netting in at once.
04
Protect from Pests
20 Apr to 3 Jul Dates as each sowing reaches this stage
From 20th April to 3rd July, cover the row with mesh so pigeons cannot strip the shoots.
05
Water and Feed
4 Jun to 2 Aug Dates as each sowing reaches this stage Optional · repeat every 2 weeks
From 4th June to 2nd August, water once flowers appear. Keep the soil moist so the pods can swell.
06
Harvest Peas
19 Jun to 2 Aug Dates as each sowing reaches this stage
Pick pods regularly from 19th June through 2nd August. Harvest garden peas when the pods are swollen. Pick mangetout while the pods are still flat.

Popular varieties of Pea to consider

A reliable early garden pea with sweet, small pods. It's resistant to mildew and good for cooler UK springs.

A mangetout variety with flat, tender pods that are best harvested young. It's vigorous and suits direct sowing.

A dual-purpose pea with edible pods that swell like garden peas. It's crunchy and sweet, needing regular picking.

Pea guides by town

See how Pea timing shifts in other towns with different frost dates.