legume · direct sow
English Shelling Pea: how much to plant.
A family of 4 eating english shelling pea a few times a week needs about 89 plants in ~23 sq ft, worth about $67 a year at the store. Here are the exact numbers for your household, and when to plant in every zone.
How much to plant
Plants, space, seeds, and value.
Counts assume about 3 servings per person per week with a germination buffer built in. Store value uses ~$3.00/lb retail, an estimate that varies by region and season.
| Household | Plants | Bed space | Seeds to buy | Store value / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 23 | ~6 sq ft | ~41 | ~$17 |
| 2 people | 45 | ~12 sq ft | ~80 | ~$34 |
| 4 people | 89 | ~23 sq ft | ~158 | ~$67 |
| 6 people | 133 | ~34 sq ft | ~235 | ~$100 |
Spacing
2" in row · 18" between rows
Sow depth
1"
Days to harvest
63 from seed
When to plant
Sow windows by USDA zone, 2026.
Zone dates are typical, not exact. The free planner uses your ZIP code's frost dates, not just the zone, and shifts every window to match.
| Zone | Spring sow window | Fall sow window |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | Mar 24 – May 5 | Jun 23 – Jun 30 |
| Zone 4 | Mar 19 – Apr 30 | Jul 3 – Jul 10 |
| Zone 5 | Mar 9 – Apr 20 | Jul 13 – Jul 20 |
| Zone 6 | Feb 27 – Apr 10 | Jul 23 – Jul 30 |
| Zone 7 | Feb 12 – Mar 26 | Aug 2 – Aug 9 |
| Zone 8 | Feb 1 – Mar 15 | Aug 23 – Aug 30 |
| Zone 9 | Dec 30 – Feb 10 | Sep 12 – Sep 19 |
| Zone 10 | Dec 10 – Jan 21 | Sep 22 – Sep 29 |
Know when it's time to plant
Give us your ZIP and we'll email you a planting checklist for your exact frost dates, this month's list right now, then once a month when sow windows open.
One email a month, only when there's something to plant. Unsubscribe anytime.
Know before you grow
The practical stuff.
Ready to pick when
Pods well filled and bright green, peas round but not yet packed tight against each other. Taste one raw: sweet means today.
Don't wait: Sugar turns to starch within days on the vine (and hours after picking), dull, whitening pods are past prime.
Yield
About 0.25 lbs per plant over ~3 productive weeks (~0.25 lb). Re-sow every ~10 days for a steady supply instead of one glut.
Watch for
Pea aphid · Powdery mildew · Root rot, the pest guide covers organic fixes for each, and Pest Radar shows what gardeners near you are reporting right now.
Neighbors
Plays well with carrot, radish, spinach, lettuce. Keep away from onion, garlic, onion.
On the plate (per 100 g, USDA)
81 kcal · 5.7 g fiber · 40 mg vitamin C · 244 mg potassium
Stop guessing. Get your exact numbers.
Tell the free planner what you want to eat and who you're feeding. It returns plant counts, spacing, and frost-safe sow dates for your ZIP code, not just your zone, in about 60 seconds.
English Shelling Pea cans, freezes, or dries for the pantry. See how much to grow and store to feed your household, and how long it keeps.
English Shelling Pea planting questions
How many english shelling pea plants do I need per person?+
For steady eating (about 3 servings a week), plan on roughly 23 plants per person. A family of 4 needs about 89 plants, which takes around 23 sq ft of bed space.
How much space does english shelling pea need?+
Space plants 2" apart in the row with 18" between rows. Sow 1" deep. Direct sow in the bed.
When should I plant english shelling pea?+
It depends on your frost dates. Spring sowing is keyed to your last spring frost. It also has a fall window keyed to your first fall frost. The zone table on this page shows typical windows; enter your ZIP in the free planner for dates tuned to your exact location, not just your zone.
Is growing english shelling pea worth it?+
At about $3.00/lb retail and ~0.25 lb per plant, a family-of-4 planting is worth about $67 a year at the store. Prices vary by region and season, so treat it as an estimate.