Peas are the quintessential winter crop – no winter veggie garden is complete without a few rows of peas. In colder areas of the country, note that peas will fail to set fruit once the temps drop below -5°C. So plan your planting accordingly.

It is possible to get 2-3 crops of peas in the ground: one in very early spring and then again in autumn and winter. The spring crop will generally only produce one or two pickings before the plants succumb to powdery mildew, but it’s often worth the effort, especially if you missed the winter planting.

Staking or trellising will ensure that you get the most production out of the plants and will also delay the onset of disease. Plants that lie on the ground start the disease cycle early.

Pick pods regularly to increase production.