When to plant peas
Direct-sow peas 5 weeks before your last spring frost.. Enter your ZIP below for exact dates.
The rule
Direct-sow as soon as the soil thaws in spring (about 4–6 weeks before the last frost). [src]Cited: University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension — “Growing Vegetables: When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden”
Days to maturity: 60–70 days [src]
Method: Direct-sow in the garden. Frost tolerance: frost-hardy (derived from the planting timing above).
Because peas is frost-hardy and matures in about 60–70 days, it's a strong fall crop — sow it in mid-to-late summer so it finishes before your first frost.
Peas planting dates by hardiness zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Direct-sow | Sow for fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 10a | — | December 4 – December 18 | September 2 – September 16 |
| Zone 10b | — | December 9 – December 23 | October 26 – November 9 |
| Zone 2a | — | April 5 – April 19 | June 8 – June 22 |
| Zone 2b | — | April 13 – April 27 | June 16 – June 30 |
| Zone 3b | — | April 8 – April 22 | June 20 – July 4 |
| Zone 4a | — | April 2 – April 16 | June 28 – July 12 |
| Zone 4b | — | March 29 – April 12 | July 1 – July 15 |
| Zone 5a | — | March 31 – April 14 | July 2 – July 16 |
| Zone 5b | — | March 23 – April 6 | July 9 – July 23 |
| Zone 6a | — | March 19 – April 2 | July 16 – July 30 |
| Zone 6b | — | March 12 – March 26 | July 21 – August 4 |
| Zone 7a | — | March 4 – March 18 | July 27 – August 10 |
| Zone 7b | — | February 23 – March 9 | August 2 – August 16 |
| Zone 8a | — | February 12 – February 26 | August 9 – August 23 |
| Zone 8b | — | February 2 – February 16 | August 16 – August 30 |
| Zone 9a | — | January 19 – February 2 | August 26 – September 9 |
| Zone 9b | — | December 22 – January 5 | September 8 – September 22 |
What you'll need
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Last verified 2026-07-16. Sources: University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension — “Growing Vegetables: When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden”; University of Georgia Extension (days to maturity); NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Climate Normals (frost); USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map.