Did you know you can grow fresh, delicious peas indoors all year round? It’s true! I learned this quite accidentally (by forgetting about some seeds I had started) and ended up with a wonderful harvest.
For more on growing vegetables indoors, see Growing Salads Indoors.
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Seed Starting for Beginners | Ebook
$5 US | Instant Download
Add to CartComplete guide to indoor seed starting. Grow your own garden!
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A Delicious Surprise
Many gardening guides list seeds that can be started indoors, while others are better off sown directly in the ground. Peas are one of those plants that flourish with direct outdoor sowing (and do not like being transplanted).
However, one year I decided to try starting peas indoors to see how they would perform. I proceeded to forget about them (but still watered all of the plants) and when I finally checked, they were filled with pea pods! I love pea shoots in my daily salads so this was a very happy discovery.
Seed Starting for Beginners | Ebook
$5 US | Instant Download
Add to CartComplete guide to indoor seed starting. Grow your own garden!
See contents ->
How To Grow Peas Indoors
1 Sow the peas as directed on the seed package. Use organic growing medium suitable for vegetables.
I’ve tried at least a dozen different varieties over the years and all of them provided pea shoots and often peas as well.
Examples include:
- Oregon Giant peas
- Dwarf Grey Sugar peas
- Super Sugar Snap peas
- Little Marvel peas
- Green Arrow peas
- Purple Mist Organic peas
Use whatever variety you want and keep track of how it grows.
2 Keep the grow lights on at least 8-10 hours a day. Alternately you can grow them near a window receiving 8 hours of full sun per day. You can see my grow light setup here including details on exactly which bulbs I like to use.
Water as needed.
3 Provide trellis or supports as the vines grow. Truthfully, I leave mine and they still grow lots of peas.
4 Harvest the pea shoots for salads and pick the pods regularly and the plants should last for several months.
5 After about three months, start a fresh batch so you’ll have more ready when these ones are done.
While indoor peas are very good, there is nothing quite as sweet and delicious as peas grown directly outdoors in cooler spring or fall weather.
If you love houseplants, here are some of my favourite resources for information and ideas.
This guide will help you choose different varieties to try:
Also see Everything you need to know about growing peas indoors or outdoors.
Let me know any food you like to grow indoors. There’s lots of possibilities.
Related: How to Grow Herbs Indoors
Books for Getting Started
- Growing Salads Indoors: A beginner’s guide to producing healthy delicious greens in your home year-round. Exellent way to get started.
- Indoor Kitchen Gardening: Turn your home into a year-round vegetable garden. Great for anyone ready to grow a variety of veggies indoors.
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
Sarah Demmer says
What is a good variety to grow indoors?
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Sarah, Good question! I’ve listed a few suggestion in the post. So far, I’ve found that every variety I’ve tried works. At minimum you’ll get pea shoots and in some cases pea pods.
jeri says
Do you have any more posters like this great one on peas?
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Jeri,
Everything available is here: https://empressofdirt.net/free-printables/
mia says
Hi,
I am growing them indoors and they seem to be a bit limp and have smaller leaves than usual. Do you have any suggestions for this?
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Mia, Do you have them supported with some sort of trellis? Also, my instinct would be to offer more light or longer light hours each day, assuming the water and soil are good.
Laura says
Pardon my ignorance, but what is a pea shoot? Thanks! Laura
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Laura, It’s a part of a pea plant (a shoot) that is edible, just like the peas and the pods. They are new growth, tender, sweet, and (in my opinion) delicious. 🙂
Anna Pendergrass says
Cherry tomatoes do well grown inside also. I’ve scooped volunteers from my garden near frost time. You can also start from seeds. Be sure to have rich soil and plenty of sunlight or a growth light.
Anna Pendergrass says
Be sure to keep the plants watered well also.