How to Grow Peas in New Zealand
Updated June 2026
Peas are the taste of a New Zealand winter and spring garden. Sweet straight off the vine, they reward you for months if you sow little and often, and like beans they fix nitrogen at their roots to feed the crop that follows.
The key to peas here is that they are a cool-season crop. They germinate and crop best in the cooler half of the year and sulk or run to mildew in summer heat. Get the timing right for your region and they are one of the most forgiving things you can grow.
There are three kinds to know. Shelling peas for the round peas inside, snow peas for flat tender pods eaten whole, and sugar snaps for plump sweet pods eaten whole. They all grow the same way.
What it looks like as it grows
Succession sowing planner
Pick your climate and pea type to see your sowing window, spacing and support, plus how to keep peas coming all season.
Position and Soil
Give peas a sunny, open spot with good airflow, which helps fend off powdery mildew. They like a free-draining soil with plenty of compost and a near-neutral pH around 6.0 to 7.0. A little lime before sowing suits them on acid soils. Avoid heavy fresh nitrogen, which gives leafy plants and few pods.
Sowing
Sow direct where the plants will grow, as peas resent transplanting. Push seed about 3cm deep into cool, moist soil. They will not germinate well in hot soil, so hold off through high summer. Birds love newly sown peas, so cover the row with netting until the seedlings are up and climbing.
Spacing
Sow seed about 5cm apart in the row, with rows 45 to 60cm apart. A double row either side of a central support uses space well. Tall and climbing types need a 1.5 to 2m trellis, netting or twiggy sticks. Dwarf and semi-leafless types are largely self-supporting but still crop better leaning on a low frame.
Watering and Feeding
Keep the soil evenly moist, especially once flowering and pod-fill begin, but avoid waterlogging cold soil, which causes root rot. Water at the base in the morning to keep leaves dry and mildew at bay. Peas feed themselves with nitrogen, so a side dressing of compost is plenty.
Common Problems
Watch for aphids on shoot tips, slugs on seedlings, and birds stripping young rows. Yellowing, wilting plants usually mean cold, soggy soil and root rot, so improve drainage. A white dusty coating is powdery mildew, common late in the season, so sow earlier and give plants airflow. See our NZ pest and disease guide for organic control.
Harvest
Pick often, every couple of days, to keep the plants flowering. Pick shelling peas when the pods are well filled but still bright and tender, snow peas while the pods are flat and the peas barely visible, and sugar snaps when plump and crisp. Most types are ready 9 to 11 weeks from sowing. At the end, cut the plants off at ground level and leave the roots to feed the soil.
Best pea varieties for NZ
| Variety | Type | Days to harvest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenfeast | Shelling (tall) | About 70 to 75 | Heavy-cropping main-season shelling pea with sweet, well-filled pods, a long-standing NZ favourite. |
| Massey | Shelling (dwarf) | About 65 to 70 | Reliable early dwarf shelling pea, compact and good for smaller gardens and earlier sowings. |
| Oregon Sugar Pod | Snow pea | About 65 | Classic flat-podded snow pea eaten whole, productive and stringless when young. |
| Sugar Snap | Sugar snap (tall) | About 70 | Plump, sweet, crunchy edible pods eaten whole, needs a tall support. |
| Novella | Semi-leafless (dwarf) | About 65 | Semi-leafless type whose tendrils grip each other, largely self-supporting, tidy for small beds. |
When to sow by region
Peas are cool-season. Sow through autumn, winter and early spring, avoiding summer heat. The cool south leans to early spring once the hardest frosts pass.
| Region | When to sow |
|---|---|
| Northland | March to September (autumn and winter) |
| Auckland | March to September |
| Waikato & BoP | March to September |
| Wellington | March to May, then August to September |
| Nelson & Marlborough | March to May, then August to September |
| Canterbury | April to May, then August to October |
| Otago & Southland | August to October (early spring) |
| Central Otago | September to October (early spring) |
Companion planting
Peas grow well with carrots, radish, corn, cucumber and beans. Keep them away from onions, garlic and other alliums, which can stunt them.
Track your succession sowings, get region-tuned reminders and log every harvest in the free Planting Season app. Open the app to plan your pea rows.
FAQ
When is the best time to plant peas in New Zealand?
Peas are a cool-season crop. In most of the country sow from autumn through to early spring, roughly March to September, avoiding the heat of summer. The cool south is better sowing in early spring once the worst frosts pass. Check the region table on this page for your area.
How do I get peas all season with succession sowing?
Sow a fresh short row every two to three weeks right through the cool-season window rather than one big sowing. Each row matures a little after the last, so you pick steadily for months instead of being swamped then left with none.
What is the difference between shelling, snow and sugar snap peas?
Shelling peas are grown for the round peas inside, and you compost the pod. Snow peas are eaten whole as flat, tender pods before the peas swell. Sugar snap peas are eaten whole too, but with plump, sweet, crunchy pods. All three grow the same way.
Do peas need support?
Tall and climbing types need a 1.5 to 2m trellis, netting or twiggy sticks to climb. Dwarf and semi-leafless types are largely self-supporting, though even they crop better leaning on a low frame or netting.
How far apart should I sow peas?
Sow seed about 5cm apart in the row and around 3cm deep, with rows 45 to 60cm apart. Peas do not mind being a little crowded, so you can sow a double row either side of a support.
How long do peas take to grow?
Most peas are ready to pick about 9 to 11 weeks from sowing. Picking regularly keeps the plants producing for several more weeks.
Why are my peas getting powdery mildew?
Powdery mildew is common late in the season as the weather warms and dries. Sow earlier next time, give plants good airflow with proper spacing, water at the base rather than over the leaves, and pull spent plants promptly.
Where can I buy pea seeds in NZ?
Pea seed is widely available at garden centres and online. Common New Zealand suppliers include Egmont Seeds, Kings Seeds and Mitre 10.