When to plant Pea in Temperate Australia

Temperate zone — applies to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Cool · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.

Sow peas direct from February to September, planting seed a deep 20–30 mm straight into the bed. Being hardy, peas relish cool conditions and germinate in 8–16 days without needing warmth. Plants mature in 65–90 days depending on type, so successive autumn and late-winter sowings keep pods coming over a long temperate season. Space seeds 5–10 cm apart in rows 40–60 cm apart, and give climbing varieties support from the start. In Melbourne and Adelaide gardens the autumn-to-winter window is prime pea-growing time.

Sowing calendar — temperate zone

Green months are your sowing window: February to September.

Growing notes

Peas are a cool-season staple in temperate gardens, and the long sowing window from late summer through winter means you can pick from autumn into spring. They dislike heat, so aim to have plants cropping while the weather is still cool, and avoid pushing sowings so late that flowering hits summer, when heat causes flowers to drop and pods to toughen.

Give them free-draining soil in full sun, and put trellis, netting or twiggy sticks in place at sowing so climbing types have something to grab as they emerge. Sow seed 5–10 cm apart and resist the urge to overwater before germination.

The classic temperate failure is seed rotting in cold, wet soil, common in a Melbourne winter. If your soil stays sodden, sow into a raised bed or mound, hold off watering until shoots appear, and do not pre-soak seed for waterlogged ground. Powdery mildew is the other regular problem, coating leaves in white as humidity rises; water at the base rather than overhead, space rows for airflow, and pick regularly. Harvesting little and often keeps plants productive, since leaving mature pods on the vine signals the plant to stop flowering.

Pea at a glance

Common questions

when do you plant peas in temperate Australia

Sow direct from February through to September in temperate zones, taking advantage of the cool season. Autumn and late-winter sowings crop from autumn into spring. Avoid sowing so late that flowering falls in summer heat.

why are my pea seeds rotting before they come up

Cold, waterlogged soil is the usual cause. Sow into a free-draining or raised bed, hold off watering until shoots appear, and avoid pre-soaking seed for wet ground. Peas germinate fine in cool soil over 8–16 days without extra water.

how deep do you plant pea seeds

Sow peas 20–30 mm deep, which is deeper than many seeds. Space them 5–10 cm apart in rows 40–60 cm apart. Set up support for climbing types at sowing time.

how do you stop powdery mildew on peas

Water at the base rather than over the leaves, space rows for good airflow, and pick regularly. Mildew worsens as humidity rises late in the season, so early sowings often finish before it takes hold.

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