Field guide
When to plant peas in USDA Zones 5–6
In USDA Zones 5–6, the planner’s broad outdoor planting window for peas runs from March to May, with a second window from August to September. Peas takes 55–70 days from planting to first harvest.
Open plannerPlanting calendar for USDA Zones 5–6
- Spring planting
- March to May
- Fall planting
- August to September
- Days to harvest
- 55–70 days
- Water needs
- medium
What USDA Zones 5–6 do—and do not—tell you
These zones span average annual extreme minimum temperatures of roughly -20°F to 0°F. That is useful climate context, but it does not determine your exact frost dates. Check a local forecast or county Extension calendar before planting tender crops.
How to know when to harvest
- Shelling peas: pods are plump, peas fill the pod, bright green
- Snow peas: harvest when flat, before peas develop inside
- Sugar snap: harvest when pods are plump and still bright green and tender
Want a plan that accounts for your crops, growing method, equipment, and plant conditions? Open the free planner for a daily crop checklist and adaptive harvest forecast.
About this field guide
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