When to plant Peas in Stirling

Pisum sativum

Pea
Pea · 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

Calibrated to Stirling · average last frost around 1 May

Sow indoors March to April, plant out April to May, harvest June to July. Typical frost risk October to May.
ActivityJanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
Sow indoorsNoNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
Plant outNoNoNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
HarvestNoNoNoNoNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNo

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.

  1. 01

    Sow Seeds Indoors

    17 Mar to 1 Apr

    Sow in guttering or deep modules around 17th March - 1st April. Space seeds about apart. Cover with of compost. Keep at until they germinate.

  2. 02

    Harden Off Seedlings

    7 Apr to 29 Apr Dates as each sowing reaches this stage

    Harden seedlings off over 7 to 10 days, from 7th April. Start with a few hours in a sheltered spot.

  3. 03

    Transplant Outdoors

    17 Apr to 1 May

    Slide the block into a shallow trench around 17th April - 1st May. Do not split the plants. Space rows apart. Water in. Put pea sticks or netting in at once.

  4. 04

    Protect from Pests

    17 Apr to 30 Jun Dates as each sowing reaches this stage

    From 17th April to 30th June, cover the row with mesh so pigeons cannot strip the shoots.

  5. 05

    Water and Feed

    1 Jun to 30 Jul Dates as each sowing reaches this stage Optional · repeat every 2 weeks

    From 1st June to 30th July, water once flowers appear. Keep the soil moist so the pods can swell.

  6. 06

    Harvest Peas

    16 Jun to 30 Jul Dates as each sowing reaches this stage

    Pick pods regularly from 16th June through 30th July. Harvest garden peas when the pods are swollen. Pick mangetout while the pods are still flat.

Suggested varieties

Popular varieties of Pea to consider

Kelvedon Wonder

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

Oregon Sugar Pod

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

Sugar Snap

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.