How Do You Pick the Perfect Moment to Harvest Peas?

If you've never grown your own peas before, you're in for a treat. The little pods that you pull fresh from the vine are way more delicious than anything you can find in a can or freezer bag.

Most pea varieties go from seed to harvest in 50 to 60 days. Pea pods are technically fruit, and fruit is one of the very last steps in a plant's life cycle. Once your vines start producing, pods can form from the base of those pretty little pea flowers in just a matter of days. Pods will reach maturity at different times, so you'll want to stay on top of harvesting. Check your plants daily so you don't miss your window for the sweetest, crispest peas you've ever tasted.

So how do you know when peas are in that window? There are 3 signs to look for.

The Pea Pod Has Reached the Right Thickness

As a general rule, you want to harvest pods as soon as they're big enough to eat. Here's what that looks like for the different types of peas:

Snow Peas

Snow peas are best harvested when they're technically still immature. Harvest pods as soon as they reach about 2" to 4" in length, before the peas inside begin to form. The ideal snow pea is flat and crisp. You can typically harvest snow peas within days of the flower opening.

Snap Peas

For snap peas, both the crunchy shell and the tender little peas inside are edible. Sugar snap peas are perfectly crisp and sweet when the peas inside have plumped up a bit but aren't really pressing against the sides of the shell.

Shell Peas

Unlike snow peas and snap peas, the shell of shell peas is not great to eat. It's technically edible but super fibrous. Shell peas are grown strictly for the tasty peas inside the pod. So with that in mind, wait to harvest shell peas until the peas inside are nice and round. You'll be able to see them swelling against each other and the sides of the pod. It usually takes a pod about 3 weeks to fully form from the flower.

The Pod Is Shiny and Bright

The pea pod should be bright green (or purple) and glossy. Once the shells turn pale, dull, or waxy, the peas inside are likely overripe. The peas inside will be tough and a bit too starchy.

When in doubt, pick pea pods sooner rather than later.

The Weather Is About to Change

Pea plants themselves are frost resistant, but a good freeze will damage the pods that have formed on the plant. If you're expecting a freeze, go ahead and harvest any peas that have formed and bring them inside. The pods won't continue to ripen off the vine, but they're edible and nutritious as is.

Heat can also ruin the pea party. You may find that your plants slow down their production once the temps reach 85°F, and any pods they do form just don't taste as sweet. It's time to remove your vines from the garden and plant something better suited for warmer temps.

What's the Best Way to Harvest Peas?

To harvest from your peas plant, I recommend using a clean pair of pruners to cut the stem right above a pod. If you forgot your pruners inside, you can hold the vine steady with one hand and use the other to gently pluck the pod. Be careful to avoid damaging the fragile vine. Also, keep in mind that peas have shallow root systems. One good tug, and you might just pull your entire plant out of the soil. (It's happened to me more than once.)

Start at the base of the plant when you're checking for harvestable pods and work your way up. Leave less mature peas on the plant to continue to form.

Make sure to harvest often so your plants keep making more peas for you. During peak production, that might mean stepping outside with a harvest bowl every day or every other day.

The best time of day to harvest is in the morning, before the heat of the day kicks in but after the dew has evaporated. This is when your little peas will be their most flavorful and crisp.

What Happens If You Leave a Pea Pod on the Vine Too Long?

Two things happen when you let a pod overstay its welcome on the plant. One, the pods will become overripe, which means they lose flavor and sweetness as all their sugars inside turn to starch. After a certain point, the pods become virtually inedible.

Two, the plant will spend a lot of energy trying to maintain these old pods instead of forming new pods. Make sure to keep your plants well-picked so that you can stretch your pea harvest as long as possible.

If you've left pods on the plant way too long, you can either pick them and see if your plant will ramp production up again or leave them on the plant to dry fully on the vine. Dried peas can be tossed into soups and cooked dishes.

Pro Tip:

If you pick some pods that are a little too mature but still edible, eat these right away. Don't try to freeze overripe peas for later.

How Many Peas Can You Harvest from One Plant?

You can expect to get between 20 to 30 pods from each pea plant. While that's a lot of produce from one fruiting plant, you need a lot of peas to make even just a little side dish for your family.

Keep in mind that you'll get these 20 to 30 pods over a number of weeks. This is why I like to grow dozens of pea plants so that I can take a couple pods from each plant and end up with a decent harvest every couple of days.

Don't forget that you can also enjoy fresh pea shoots, which are absolutely delicious. Harvesting some pea shoots each week is one way to get more bang for your buck from each plant.

How to Use Up All Your Peas

Peas don't enjoy a very long shelf life, so here are some ideas to use up your pea harvests as they come (assuming any peas make it into your kitchen—sugar snap peas have a way of disappearing between the garden and my house).

• Toss sugar snap peas or snow peas into a stir fry. I love to add some pea shoots in the last couple seconds of cooking, as well.
• Use your shell peas in this delicious and creamy green pasta from PlantYou.
• Cut your snap peas into slivers and try Joshua McFadden's Pasta alla Gricia.
• Whip up the New York Time's sugar snap pea and radish salad with mint.
• Sauté peas with garlic to make Italian peas.
• Mix up all kinds of peas with dates and walnuts.

How to Store Peas from the Garden

Unfortunately, fresh peas don't keep very well. There's a reason you see mostly frozen or canned peas at the grocery store.

To increase your storage time, avoid washing your pea pods when you bring them in after harvest. Place them in a paper bag and store in the crisper drawer of your fridge. Enjoy them within a couple of days while they're at their best. I typically store peas for 2 to 3 days while I'm waiting to harvest enough for a decent side dish for my entire family.

Don't store peas at room temperature. Their sugar content will begin turning into starch within hours outside of the fridge. If you have way more peas than you'll be able to eat in the next couple of days, it's a good idea to freeze them. Freezing peas is actually a great way to maintain that garden-fresh flavor and nutrition.

How to Freeze Peas

Process and freeze your peas as soon after harvest as possible to preserve the nutrients and natural sugars (before they turn to starch). You can freeze snow peas and sugar snaps whole, but shell peas will need to be shelled first (I mean, it's in their name).

Follow these steps to freeze your peas:

• Wash your peas in cold water.
• Blanch your peas (boil them for 60 to 90 seconds, drain them, and then dunk them in ice water).
• Let peas cool before draining.
• Lay peas on a dish towel to dry.
• Transfer peas to freezer-safe bag or storage container.

Enjoy your peas within 6 months for the best quality. There's no need to thaw them before tossing them into a skillet or pot.

Enjoy the Sweetest Peas Ever!

Your garden-fresh peas will taste out of this world compared to their grocery store counterparts! Growing your own means you get to harvest them when they're at their absolute delicious and nutritious peak! Enjoy them and then head right back outside tomorrow to check for more!