Best Peas to Grow in Washington

Zone 7 gardeners hit the sweet spot for pea growing – your moderate climate offers a generous window for both spring and fall crops without the brutal heat that plagues warmer zones. With an average last frost around April 1st, you can start your peas outdoors much earlier than northern gardeners, while your October 30th first frost gives you plenty of time for succession planting. The key challenge you'll face is managing the transition from cool spring weather to hot summer temperatures, which can cause peas to bolt or stop producing.

When selecting pea varieties for Zone 7, prioritize heat tolerance and disease resistance. Look for varieties that can handle temperature swings and have some tolerance for powdery mildew, which becomes more problematic in humid summer conditions. Your 210-day growing season means you can experiment with both early-maturing varieties for quick spring harvests and longer-season types that can handle the heat better. The varieties I've selected below excel in Zone 7's specific conditions – they'll give you reliable harvests from early spring through late fall.