Once planted, peas need little attention other than watering and harvesting. Pests and diseases are rarely a problem, particularly if disease-resistant varieties are planted. Just keep an eye out for aphids on the plants and get rid of them with a sharp spray of water from the garden hose.
Peas thrive in cool weather and young plants will tolerate light frosts. Once germinated, peas adapt well to the cold, damp climate of early spring. Peas must be planted as early as possible in the spring to get a full harvest before hot summer temperatures arrive and put an end to production. In temperate zones, the saying ?Plant peas by St. Patrick?s Day? holds true. Otherwise, plant peas about a month prior to your frost-free date.
For a fall crop, you'll have to nurse the seedlings through late-summer heat with shade and diligent watering until cool weather arrives.
The 'days to maturity' listed on the seed packets are calculated from the date of direct seeding, but soil temperature determines how long it takes for seeds to germinate.
For example, if the soil is 40° F., pea seeds may take more than a month to sprout, while at 60° F. or above, they take about a week. So, the days to maturity can be misleading. Use the information only as a guide for determining early, mid-season, and late varieties.
Peas prefer a fertile, sandy loam that drains well, but will tolerate most soils except heavy, impermeable clay. Work in plenty of compost to keep the soil friable. A pH level of 6.0-7.5 is preferred. Where soil is very acidic, apply dolomite or agricultural lime. If you've never grown peas before, why not try a bed of the early bush types, like 'Spring' or 'Burpeeana Early' garden peas or 'Sugar Bon' snap peas? If you have limited garden space, plant 'Alderman' heirloom garden peas or 'Super Sugar' snap peas on a trellis or fence. This way you can get maximum yields using only a few square feet of garden space.

* Sow peas thickly, preferably in wide rows. Peas grown close together shade out weeds, keep the soil cool, increase yields, and make the most efficient use of garden space. Simply broadcast the seed in the row, allowing the seeds to fall as they may, some even touching. Cover with an inch of soil in the spring; two inches in the summer for your fall crop. Don't thin the plants when they germinate.
* Don't overfertilize. Peas are light feeders and don't generally require fertilizer. In fact, too much nitrogen will make the plants develop lush foliage at the expense of pod production and be more susceptible to frost damage.
* Watering. Water deeply once a week. Never allow the soil to dry out totally or you'll drastically reduce production. The critical time for watering is when the plants are blossoming and producing pods. When pods are maturing in hot weather, water daily if needed to maintain pod quality.

* Raised beds. To get peas in the ground and germinating as early as possible in the spring, plant them in raised beds. The raised beds warm up faster than the surrounding ground.
* Legume inoculant. Like other members of the legume family, peas have a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobia bacteria that colonize the roots of the plants and help them 'fix' nitrogen in the soil. After soaking the seeds overnight in lukewarm water, drain them and sprinkle an inoculant over them just before planting. This will boost the plants and produce higher yields.
* Mulch. Because peas' feeder roots run shallow, mulch is essential to keep the soil around the roots moist and cool. When the seedlings are two inches tall, apply a mulch of clean straw, chopped leaves, or compost. As the plants mature, you can add more mulch to keep them happy.
* Support. All peas, even the dwarf varieties, grow best with support. They are productive and less susceptible to rot if given some support or, for taller varieties, planted along a fence or trellis. Interlace untreated twine between posts to act as a trellis. At the end of the season, just cut down the twine, pea vines and all, and toss on the compost pile. Use 'pea brush'?broken tree branches shoved into the soil of the pea bed?to provide support for the 'bush' types like 'Maestro' and 'Wando'.

* Pick pods carefully. Pea stems snap easily and the root systems aren't very deep. If not careful, you can damage the plant or even pull it out of the soil. Use both hands?one to hold the vine and the other to pinch off the pods.
* Frequent harvesting increases yields. When the harvest starts, spring or fall, pick every other day to keep the plants in production. Picking frequency definitely affects total yields. Pick any pods that are overly mature; if left on the vine, yields will diminish.

* Plant disease-resistant varieties, especially if any particular diseases are a problem in your area. For example, pea enation is common in the Pacific Northwest. Ask veteran gardeners in your neighborhood or the Local County Extension agent for suggestions on what varieties to select.
* Practice crop rotation to prevent root rot. To make sure peas don't suffer from soil-borne diseases, make sure not to plant peas or other legumes in the same bed more than once in every three years.

* Freezing. Although peas freeze well, they lose texture. Freeze them immediately after harvest to retain their rich flavor. Blanch the peas for two minutes in boiling water, immediately drain and plunge into ice water for two minutes. Drain again, loosely pack the peas in plastic bags or containers, and pop them into the freezer. Use the peas within nine months for the best quality.
* Drying. Peas can be dried in a dehydrator and stored in sealed canisters for use in the winter in soups and stews. The quality is not on a par with frozen or fresh peas; however, as dried peas tend to be starchy and grainy in texture.

* Early: 'Burpeeana Early,' 'Maestro,' 'Sugar Bon', and 'Thomas Laxton.'
* Mid-season: 'Mammoth Melting Sugar', 'Oregon Sugar Pod II.'
* Late: 'Wando' and 'Alderman.'

Fall crops are finicky and many gardeners end up with mixed results.
But, for the reward of an extra crop, the minimal effort and expense is well worth the gamble. The trick is to finish the harvest before a hard frost. To determine when to sow your fall crop, check the days to maturity for the varieties chosen and count backward from the expected first frost date. Outstanding winter crops can often be grown in Zones 9-11.