ALASKA PEAS

Green peas on a vine with leaves in a garden setting

Heads up: This plant grows as a vine. Make sure to have a simple trellis in place when this plant starts to get large. It wants to climb!

Pretty Chill

Black sun icon with rays on a white background

Full Sunlight

Keep Soil Moist

Annual

Pet Safe

USDA Hardiness Zone
Alaska peas grow as an annual in zones 2 to 11. This is a cool season crop. Plant in early spring or fall. If you live in zones 9 or above, fall planting is best.

A USDA hardiness zone map shows you the average annual extreme minimum temperature in your area. This helps you know which plants can survive there.

View Zone Map

FULL SUNLIGHT

An alaska pea plant need at least 6 hours of sunlight per day, especially during its germination stage.

IN EXTREME HEAT, PROVIDE SHADE

If you live in a hotter climate, where the summers get very hot (above 80°F), try to provide the pea plant with some afternoon shade or plant seeds in early spring to avoid peak summer heat.

Heat stress can cause harm to the plant and slow pod production.

Cartoon sun character holding a flower and a potted plant with a cloud in the background.

KEEP SOIL MOIST

Keep this plant consistently watered, making sure it has good drainage to prevent soggy soil.

Water at the base of the pea plant in the morning, allowing the leaves to dry out throughout the day which helps prevent mildew.

MODERATE HUMIDITY

Indoor humidity or normal outdoor air is typically fine for pea plants. As long as the humidity levels are not too extreme in either direction, an Alaska pea plant will be happy.

Avoid misting or getting its leaves wet since it is prone to fungal issues.

Cartoon water droplet character with a watering can and flowers on a white background

SOIL

Alaska pea needs rich, nutrient dense soil that retains some moisture.

The best store bough option is a vegetable or garden potting mix since it’s already formulated for edible plants like Alaska pea.

If you’d like to boost nutrients, mix in a bit of worm castings or compost. But go light! Alaska peas are already pros at nourishing themselves.

Looks like fine, dark brown granules like moist coffee grounds. This is a natural fertilizer produced by worms that provides nutrients to the soil.

Looks like rich, dark brown crumbly soil with an earthy smell. This is a natural fertilizer made from decomposed organic matter that provides nutrients to the soil.

Cartoon pot with face holding a trowel, surrounded by plants and flowers on a white background

HARVESTING

ALWAYS USE CLEAN SCISSORS OR HANDS

Once you start to see plump, bright green pods, you can start harvesting your Alaska peas!

In the "pea world" there are three types:

⋆ Shelling peas: open the pod, eat the peas inside, discard the pod.

⋆ Snap peas: eat the whole plump pod and peas inside.

⋆ Snow peas: eat the whole flat pod and tiny peas inside.

Alaska peas are shelling peas. So when you harvest the pods, you will open the seam and release the peas to eat.

IDENTIFY THE PICKING SPOT

Use small scissors or clean hands to snip the little stem right above where the pod connects to the main vine.

Avoid yanking the pods off the vine to prevent damage to the plant.

HARVEST REGULARLY FOR BEST RESULTS

The more pods you pick, the more pods the pea plant produces!

Once the pods start popping up, check your plant every 1 to 3 days. If pea pods are left on the plant for too long, they can get starchy and tough.

★ HEIRLOOM SEEDS ★

The Alaska pea is one of the oldest pea varieties, dating back to the 1880s. Because it is an heirloom variety, you can save seeds from your harvest to replant.

To do this, simply leave a few pods on the vine until they dry out. Wait for them to turn yellow and papery then remove the dried peas from the pod.

COMMON ISSUES

WHITE POWDER

This is likely powdery mildew which is a common fungal issue for pea plants if left in humid or crowded conditions.

Make sure to water at the base of the plant. This helps avoid water getting on the leaves. Watering in the morning also helps leaves dry throughout the day. Remove affected leaves.

If problem persists/spreads, spray the soapy solution below on the leaves (at night to avoid leaf scorch):
2 cups water
1 tspn castille soap
1/2 tspn baking soda

WILTING LEAVES

A sign of overwatering or poor drainage of the pot. Although an Alaska pea plant prefers moist conditions, soil that remains soggy can lead to root rot.

Remove affected leaves. Allow the top inch of soil to dry out. Adjust your watering schedule for this plant.

If problem persists and/or you suspect root rot: remove from pot, trim away dead mushy roots, and repot in fresh soil.

If overwatering is not the issue, it could be that your pea plant is wilted due to heat stress. Please see "NO POD PRODUCTION".

NO POD PRODUCTION

If the plant is looking healthy, but the pea pods have stopped producing, it's time for a heat check.

Peas will stop producing due to heat stress when temperatures get too hot (usually above 80°F).

In hotter climates, try to provide some afternoon shade if you can.