legume · direct sow · beginner friendly
Snap Pea: how much to plant.
A family of 4 eating snap pea a few times a week needs about 28 plants in ~7 sq ft, worth about $56 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 ~$5.00/lb retail, an estimate that varies by region and season.
| Household | Plants | Bed space | Seeds to buy | Store value / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 7 | ~2 sq ft | ~13 | ~$14 |
| 2 people | 14 | ~4 sq ft | ~25 | ~$28 |
| 4 people | 28 | ~7 sq ft | ~50 | ~$56 |
| 6 people | 41 | ~11 sq ft | ~73 | ~$82 |
Spacing
2" in row · 18" between rows
Sow depth
1"
Days to harvest
62 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 – Jul 1 |
| Zone 4 | Mar 19 – Apr 30 | Jul 3 – Jul 11 |
| Zone 5 | Mar 9 – Apr 20 | Jul 13 – Jul 21 |
| Zone 6 | Feb 27 – Apr 10 | Jul 23 – Jul 31 |
| Zone 7 | Feb 12 – Mar 26 | Aug 2 – Aug 10 |
| Zone 8 | Feb 1 – Mar 15 | Aug 23 – Aug 31 |
| Zone 9 | Dec 30 – Feb 10 | Sep 12 – Sep 20 |
| Zone 10 | Dec 10 – Jan 21 | Sep 22 – Sep 30 |
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 plump and glossy with peas just visible, and they snap cleanly. Sweetest picked every 1 to 2 days.
Don't wait: Dull, fat pods have gone starchy; shell those and pick younger.
Yield
About 0.4 lbs per plant over ~3 productive weeks (~0.4 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. Keep away from onion.
On the plate (per 100 g, USDA)
42 kcal · 2.6 g fiber · 60 mg vitamin C · 200 mg potassium
When to plant snap pea in your state
Pick your state for exact sow windows.
Each page keys snap peato that state's typical frost dates, with spring and fall windows and the indoor-start date where it helps.
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.
Snap Pea planting questions
How many snap pea plants do I need per person?+
For steady eating (about 3 servings a week), plan on roughly 7 plants per person. A family of 4 needs about 28 plants, which takes around 7 sq ft of bed space.
How much space does snap 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 snap 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 snap pea worth it?+
At about $5.00/lb retail and ~0.4 lb per plant, a family-of-4 planting is worth about $56 a year at the store. Prices vary by region and season, so treat it as an estimate.