🫛 The Ultimate Pea Collection – Growing Guide

6 Distinctive Pea Varieties | 300 Seeds | 50 Seeds Per Variety Grow a delicious selection of traditional garden peas, sweet petit pois, crunchy sugar snaps, tender mangetout and striking purple-podded peas with this carefully selected collection from Red Dragon Seeds. Peas are rewarding, relatively easy-to-grow vegetables that thrive in the cooler conditions of a British spring. With six different varieties, you can enjoy a wonderful mixture of flavours, textures and growing habits.

🌱 Quick Growing Information

Growing Requirement	Details
Botanical Name	Pisum sativum
Sowing Period	February–June
Germination Temperature	Ideally 10–20°C
Germination Time	Approximately 7–14 days
Sowing Depth	3–5 cm
Seed Spacing	5–8 cm
Row Spacing	45–60 cm
Position	Full sun or light partial shade
Soil	Fertile, moisture-retentive, well-drained
Watering	Regularly, especially during flowering
Harvest Period	May–September, depending on sowing
Growing Difficulty	Easy

🫛 Meet Your Six Pea Varieties

1. Kelvedon Wonder – 50 Seeds

🌿 Type: Early dwarf garden pea 📏 Height: Approximately 45–60 cm A classic British favourite producing well-filled pods of deliciously sweet, tender peas. Its compact growth makes it particularly suitable for smaller vegetable gardens and raised beds. Growing tip: An excellent choice for early sowings. Provide short twiggy supports to keep plants upright.

2. Telephone – 50 Seeds

🌿 Type: Tall climbing garden pea 📏 Height: Approximately 150–200 cm A traditional heritage variety producing long, well-filled pods of sweet, flavoursome peas. Its vigorous climbing habit makes excellent use of vertical growing space. Growing tip: Provide a sturdy trellis, pea netting or tall canes before the plants begin climbing.

3. Petit Provençal – 50 Seeds

🌿 Type: Early dwarf garden pea 📏 Height: Approximately 40–60 cm A traditional compact variety producing small, sweet peas, perfect for harvesting young and enjoying as tender petit pois. Growing tip: Suitable for early sowings under protection. Pick regularly while the peas are young for the sweetest flavour.

4. Sugar Snap – 50 Seeds

🌿 Type: Edible-podded sugar snap pea 📏 Height: Varies by cultivar Sugar snap peas produce thick, juicy, crunchy pods that can be eaten whole. Delicious straight from the plant, in salads or lightly cooked. Growing tip: Harvest when pods are plump and crisp, before they become tough or fibrous. Provide support according to the growth habit of your particular Sugar Snap variety.

5. Oregon Sugar Pod – 50 Seeds

🌿 Type: Mangetout / snow pea 📏 Height: Approximately 60–90 cm A productive variety producing broad, flat, tender green pods. Unlike traditional garden peas, mangetout pods are harvested and eaten whole before the peas inside fully develop. Growing tip: Pick frequently when the pods are young and flat for the best tenderness and flavour.

6. Ezetha's Krombek Blauwschok – 50 Seeds

🌿 Type: Purple-podded climbing pea 📏 Height: Approximately 150–200 cm A striking heritage variety with beautiful purple flowers and distinctive deep-purple pods. This unusual pea adds colour and interest to the vegetable garden while producing peas suitable for shelling. Growing tip: Provide tall supports and harvest the peas for shelling. The purple pods are generally better shelled than eaten whole.

🌱 How to Sow Pea Seeds

Step 1 – Prepare the Soil Choose a sunny position with fertile, well-drained soil. Incorporate well-rotted compost before sowing to improve soil structure and moisture retention. Avoid adding excessive nitrogen-rich fertiliser, as peas can fix atmospheric nitrogen through their root nodules. Step 2 – Sow Your Seeds

• Sow seeds approximately 3–5 cm deep.
• Space seeds 5–8 cm apart.
• Allow approximately 45–60 cm between rows, adjusting for plant height and support arrangements.
• Water gently after sowing.

For an earlier crop, seeds can be started in deep modules or root trainers under cover before transplanting outdoors. Step 3 – Germination Peas generally germinate within 7–14 days in suitable conditions. A temperature of approximately 10–20°C is ideal. Germination may take longer in cold soil, and excessively wet conditions can cause seeds to rot. Step 4 – Provide Support Climbing varieties such as Telephone and Ezetha's Krombek Blauwschok require sturdy supports. Dwarf varieties benefit from shorter twiggy branches, pea sticks or low netting to prevent plants collapsing as the pods develop. Step 5 – Water & Care Keep the soil evenly moist, particularly during flowering and pod development. Apply mulch around established plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Avoid disturbing the roots unnecessarily.

🫛 Harvesting Your Peas

Different pea varieties are harvested at different stages. Traditional Garden Peas – Kelvedon Wonder, Telephone & Petit Provençal Harvest when pods are well-filled but still green and tender. Shell the peas before eating. Sugar Snap Peas Harvest when pods become rounded, plump and crisp. Both the pods and peas are edible. Mangetout – Oregon Sugar Pod Pick while pods are still flat, tender and before the peas inside become large. Purple-Podded Peas – Ezetha's Krombek Blauwschok Harvest young pods for shelling fresh peas, or allow pods to mature for dried peas.

💚 Top Tips for a Successful Harvest

• 🌱 Sow Successionally: Make additional sowings every 2–3 weeks during suitable spring weather to extend your harvest.
• ☀️ Avoid Excessive Heat: Peas prefer cool growing conditions and can struggle during hot, dry weather.
• 💧 Keep Watering Consistent: Moisture is particularly important during flowering and pod formation.
• 🪴 Protect Young Plants: Use netting where necessary to prevent damage from birds and other garden pests.
• 🫛 Harvest Frequently: Regular picking encourages continued production while plants remain healthy and growing conditions are favourable.
• 🌿 Save Your Own Seeds: Allow healthy pods from open-pollinated varieties to mature and dry completely before collecting and storing their seeds.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Can I grow peas in containers? Yes! Compact varieties such as Kelvedon Wonder and Petit Provençal are particularly suitable for large, deep containers with drainage holes. Keep the compost evenly moist. Do I need a greenhouse? No. Peas grow very well outdoors in the UK. A greenhouse or propagator can be useful for starting early sowings, but established plants generally prefer cooler outdoor conditions. Can I eat purple pea pods? The purple pods of Ezetha's Krombek Blauwschok are generally grown for their shelled peas rather than eaten whole like mangetout. Should I soak pea seeds before sowing? Soaking is not necessary. Pea seeds can be sown directly into moist compost or soil. Avoid waterlogged conditions during germination. Can I save seeds for next year? Yes. These are open-pollinated varieties. Allow selected healthy pods to mature and dry on the plant, then store the fully dried seeds somewhere cool, dry and dark. Different varieties should be kept labelled and isolated where necessary to maintain varietal purity.