University of Illinois Extension
Illinois Vegetable Garden Guide
Peas
The pea is a cool-season vegetable which should be planted early in the spring. Several varieties of different maturities can be planted at the same time to provide a supply of peas over a longer period.
Several diseases appear in peas but they should not give you trouble if you treat seed, rotate your pea crop, and use resistant varieties. The pea aphid is the most troublesome insect.
Since peas are at peak quality a relatively short time, check frequently for their maturity. Pick the pods when they are green and nearly fully developed and before the peas start to harden. The peas should be used or refrigerated as soon as possible after harvest.
| Crop | Amount for 100 ft of row |
Variety recommended for use in Illinois | Days to harvest | Resistant to |
| Peas | 1 pound | Early | ||
| Daybreak | 54 | |||
| Alaska | 55 | |||
| Spring | 57 | |||
| Main Season | ||||
| Sparkle | 70 | Fusarium wilt, mosaic | ||
| Maestro | 60 | Powdery mildew | ||
| Knight | 61 | |||
| Little Marvel | 63 | Fusarium wilt, mosaic | ||
| Wando | 71 | Fusarium wilt, root rot | ||
| Green Arrow | 68 | Downy mildew, powdery mildew | ||
| Early Snap | 70 | |||
| Sugar Ann | 70 | |||
| Sugar Daddy | 80 | |||
| Sugar Snap | 70 | |||
| Sugar | ||||
| Snowbird | 58 | |||
| Little Sweetie | 60 | |||
| Dwarf Grey Sugar | 65 | |||
| Oregon Sugar Pod II | 65 | Fusarium wilt, powdery mildew | ||
| Mammoth Melting Sugar | 70 |
| Vegetable | Hardiness | Recommended planting period for central Illinois (b) | Time to grow from seed to field (c) | |
| For overall Use |
For storage |
|||
| Peas | Half hardy | April 10 - May 1 | ... | ... |
| Vegetable | Spacing in row | |||
| Seed to sow per foot | Distance between plants when thinned or transplanted | Distance between rows | Planting depth | |
| inches | inches | inches | ||
| Peas | 10-12 | Do not thin | 18-24 | 2 |