When to plant peas in zone 4b
In zone 4b, where the last spring frost typically comes around May 8, sow outdoors March 27 to April 10. For a fall crop, plant July 9 to 23.
The zone 4b schedule for peas
- Sow outdoors
- March 27 to April 10
- First harvest, roughly
- May 26 to June 19
- Plant for a fall crop
- July 9 to 23
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 1,164 ZIP codes in zone 4b, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for peas.
Dates before the last frost assume the soil has thawed and is dry enough to work: a squeezed handful crumbles instead of sticking. After a late or wet spring, wait for that even if the date has passed.
Frost risk in zone 4b
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 4b, the typical last frost ranges from about May 1 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to May 25 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from September 22 to October 8. For a typical place in the zone:
- April 26Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- May 8Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- May 22Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
Your dates for peas
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant peas where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Peas in zone 4b cities
| City | Typical last frost | Plant | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | Apr 30 | Mar 19 to Apr 2 | Jul 14 to 28 |
| Duluth, MN | May 6 | Mar 25 to Apr 8 | Jul 17 to 31 |
| Lakeville, MN | May 2 | Mar 21 to Apr 4 | Jul 13 to 27 |
| St. Cloud, MN | May 7 | Mar 26 to Apr 9 | Jul 8 to 22 |
| Eau Claire, WI | May 8 | Mar 27 to Apr 10 | Jul 12 to 26 |
| Great Falls, MT | May 19 | Apr 7 to 21 | Jul 2 to 16 |
How to grow peasAll zonesPeas in zone 4aPeas in zone 5aAbout zone 4b
Sources
- How to Grow Peas in Your Garden · Utah State University Extension
- Growing Green Peas in a Home Garden · University of Maryland Extension
- Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP103/VH021) · University of Florida IFAS Extension
- Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005) · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
- GN 154: Soil Temperature Conditions for Vegetable Seed Germination (Harrington emergence table) · UC Cooperative Extension, Sacramento County (UC ANR)
- The Fall Vegetable Garden (HO-66-W) · Purdue University Extension
- Fall Vegetable Gardening (SPES-801) · Virginia Cooperative Extension
- Growing Vegetables in Containers · University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension
- Easy Container Vegetables and How to Grow Them · NC State Extension, Onslow County