Pea in Zone 5a & 5b
Pisum sativum
Yes, pea grows in zones 5a and 5b. Plant it outside Mar 29–Apr 5. For a fall crop, plant out Jul 23–Aug 6.
When to plant pea in zone 5b
Zones 5a and 5b share the same average frost dates, so this page covers both.
Method: Direct sow: Direct-sow outside. It doesn't transplant well, or doesn't need the extra time indoors.
| Window | Spring window |
|---|---|
| Start indoors | Not typically started indoors |
| Direct sow / transplant outside | Mar 29–Apr 5 |
| Estimated harvest | May 28–Jun 4 (~60 days after direct-sowing) |
| Window | Fall window |
|---|---|
| Start indoors | Not typically started indoors |
| Direct sow / transplant outside | Jul 23–Aug 6 |
| Estimated harvest | Sep 21–Oct 5 (~60 days after direct-sowing) |
Spacing: 8 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 3-6 ft.
Fall window: the last sowing date is the average first frost minus days to maturity, the method in Purdue Extension's fall garden guide, which lists pea for late-summer planting.
Plant alongside it in zone 5b
These go outside within two weeks of pea in zone 5b, so one planting day can cover them.
- RadishApr 12–Apr 19
- SpinachApr 12–Apr 19
- ArugulaApr 5–Apr 12
- Mâche (Corn Salad)Apr 12–Apr 19
- Sweet PeaMar 29–Apr 5
- BlackberryApr 12–Apr 19
Peas are one of the few crops meant to go in the ground while it's still cold, direct-sown weeks before your last frost, while most of the garden is still just a plan on paper. They're also one of the few nitrogen-fixers in a typical vegetable bed, quietly benefiting whatever gets planted near their roots.
How pea fits zone 5's season
Zone 5b's frost-free window runs about 148 days, from May 10 to October 5. Pea needs about 60 days from sowing to first harvest.
Pea planting windows in every zone
Zone 5b is highlighted. Useful for comparing against a neighbouring zone, or for a garden somewhere else.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2a & 2bSpring window | Not usually | Apr 8–Apr 15 | Jun 7–Jun 14 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Jun 19–Jul 3 | Aug 18–Sep 1 |
| 3a & 3bSpring window | Not usually | Apr 18–Apr 25 | Jun 17–Jun 24 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Jun 23–Jul 7 | Aug 22–Sep 5 |
| 4a & 4bSpring window | Not usually | Apr 3–Apr 10 | Jun 2–Jun 9 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Jul 8–Jul 22 | Sep 6–Sep 20 |
| 5a & 5bSpring window (your zone) | Not usually | Mar 29–Apr 5 | May 28–Jun 4 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Jul 23–Aug 6 | Sep 21–Oct 5 |
| 6a & 6bSpring window | Not usually | Mar 14–Mar 21 | May 13–May 20 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Aug 2–Aug 16 | Oct 1–Oct 15 |
| 7a & 7bSpring window | Not usually | Feb 27–Mar 6 | Apr 28–May 5 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Aug 12–Aug 26 | Oct 11–Oct 25 |
| 8a & 8bSpring window | Not usually | Feb 11–Feb 18 | Apr 12–Apr 19 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Aug 28–Sep 11 | Oct 27–Nov 10 |
| 9a & 9bSpring window | Not usually | Jan 4–Jan 11 | Mar 5–Mar 12 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Sep 22–Oct 6 | Nov 21–Dec 5 |
| 10a & 10bFall window | Not usually | Sep–Jan | ~60 days after direct-sowing |
| 11a & 11bFall window | Not usually | Nov–Feb | ~60 days after direct-sowing |
Harvest dates are about 60 days after the sow or plant-out date.
Zone 2 sows before zone 3 here, which looks wrong and is not. USDA zones rank winter cold, not season length, and zone 2 is mostly interior Alaska, where hard winters come with warm summers. More on what a zone measures.
Good companions
- Carrot: Peas fix nitrogen that benefits neighboring root crops.
Where to buy pea seeds
Botanical Interests · True Leaf Market · Burpee · High Mowing Organic Seeds (each supplier's pea seeds)
Varieties we recommend, and where to get them:
- Cascadia (snap pea): Cornell's disease-resistant vegetable variety list credits Cascadia with resistance to common wilt, fusarium wilt, pea enation mosaic virus, pea/bean leaf roll virus, and powdery mildew, a broadly resistant option worth considering if mildew has been a recurring problem in your peas. Buy: Botanical Interests · True Leaf Market · High Mowing Organic Seeds Full notes
- Green Arrow (shelling pea): Cornell's list credits it with the broadest resistance profile among shelling types: curly top virus, common wilt, downy mildew, fusarium wilt and powdery mildew all at once. Buy: Botanical Interests · True Leaf Market · High Mowing Organic Seeds Full notes
- Sugar Snap (snap pea): The original snap pea, per Cornell resistant to common wilt and fusarium wilt. Buy: Botanical Interests · Burpee Full notes
See why we recommend these suppliers →
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See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing pea" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
← Back to the full zone 5b calendar · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →
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Growing Pea in USDA zone 5b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a harvest.
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