Pods & fruit
Peas
Cool-season pods for shelling or eating whole.
Sowing & planting windows in Australia
Planting timing varies by broad Australian gardening zone. Local weather, unusual seasons and your garden’s microclimate can shift timing.
Cool
Sow · Jul-Sep
Core months: July, August, September
Possible / shoulder months: June, October
Temperate
Sow · Feb-Sep
Core months: February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September
Subtropical
Sow · Mar-Jul
Core months: March, April, May, June, July
Tropical
Sow · Mar-Jun
Core months: March, April, May, June
Arid
Sow · Mar-Jul
Core months: March, April, May, June, July
Getting started
Sow seed directly into its growing position. Put suitable support in place for climbing varieties so young tendrils have something to hold.
The right conditions
Choose a sunny position with fertile, well-drained soil. Peas favour cool growing conditions and may crop poorly in sustained heat.
As it grows
Keep moisture steady as plants flower and fill their pods. Weed gently around young plants. Check the packet to distinguish shelling, snow and snap peas.
Ready to harvest
Pick shelling peas when the pods are filled but the peas are still tender. Pick snow peas while the pods are flat; snap peas are picked plump while the pod remains tender.
Related how-to guides
Choose supports for peas, beans and other climbers
Identify the growth habit.
Pick peas and beans at the right stage
Check the crop: snow peas are picked flat, shelling peas when peas fill the pod, and green beans while pods are tender before seeds bulge strongly.
Plant guidance: Desk-reviewed against linked sources; not field-tested. Planting windows are a guide rather than a rule.