Zone 4 Coverage
Planting Timeline — All Varieties
Growing Peas in Zone 4
Zone 4 gardeners have a sweet spot for growing peas, despite the challenges of late frosts and shorter growing seasons. The cool springs and moderate summers create ideal conditions for these cool-season crops, which actually prefer temperatures between 55-70°F. Your late May 10th frost date means you'll need to be strategic about timing, but the payoff is worth it – peas grown in cooler climates often develop better flavor and stay productive longer than those in warmer zones.
When selecting pea varieties for Zone 4, prioritize cold tolerance, disease resistance, and days to maturity. Look for varieties that can handle light frosts and cool soil conditions, as you'll often be planting when soil temperatures are still in the 40s. Heat tolerance is equally important since you'll want varieties that won't bolt immediately when summer temperatures climb. The varieties listed here have proven themselves reliable performers in Zone 4's unique conditions.
Your 135-day growing season is actually generous for peas – long enough for succession planting and even fall crops. The key is choosing a mix of early varieties like Sugar Ann and Kelvedon Wonder for quick harvests, mid-season workhorses like Green Arrow and Lincoln for main crops, and heat-tolerant varieties like Wando for extended harvests into summer.
Variety Comparison
| Variety ↑ | Days | Difficulty | Size | Type | Indoor | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alderman | 70-80 | Moderate | 4.5-5 inch pods with 8-10 large peas per pod | Heirloom | — | June–August |
| Carouby de Maussane | 70-80 | Moderate to Advanced | 4-5 inches long, very wide | Heirloom | — | June–August |
| Cascadia | 60-70 | Easy | 3-4 inch pods with well-developed peas inside | Hybrid | — | June–September |
| Dwarf Grey Sugar | 60-65 | Easy | 2.5-3 inch pods | Heirloom | — | June–August |
| Golden Sweet | 65-70 | Moderate | 3-4 inches long | Heirloom | — | June–August |
| Green Arrow | 68-75 | Easy to Moderate | 4-4.5 inch pods with 8-11 peas each | Hybrid | — | June–August |
| Kelvedon Wonder | 60-65 | Easy | 3-4 inch pods | Heirloom | — | June–July |
| Lincoln | 65-70 | Easy | 3.5-4 inch pods with 7-9 peas per pod | Heirloom | — | June–August |
| Little Marvel | 60-65 | Easy | 3 inch pods with 6-8 peas each | Heirloom | — | June–July |
| Mammoth Melting Sugar | 70-80 | Moderate | 4-5 inch long, wide flat pods | Heirloom | — | June–August |
| Oregon Giant | 70-80 | Moderate | 5-6 inch pods | Hybrid | — | June–August |
| Oregon Sugar Pod II | 65-70 | Easy | 4-4.5 inch pods | Hybrid | — | June–September |
| Progress No. 9 | 60-65 | Easy | 3.5-4 inches long pods | Heirloom | — | June–July |
| Purple Top | 65-75 | Moderate | 3-4 inches long | Heirloom | — | June–August |
| Sugar Ann | 50-60 | Easy | 2.5-3 inch pods | Hybrid | — | June–July |
| Sugar Snap | 65-70 | Easy | 3-4 inch pods | Hybrid | — | June–August |
| Sugar Sprint | 60-65 | Easy | 3-3.5 inches long | Hybrid | — | June–August |
| Telephone | 65-75 | Moderate | 4-5 inch pods | Heirloom | — | June–August |
| Thomas Laxton | 55-65 | Moderate | 3.5-4 inch pods with 7-9 peas each | Heirloom | — | June–July |
| Wando | 68-75 | Easy | 3-4 inch pods with 6-8 peas per pod | OP | — | June–September |
Variety Details
Alderman
Also known as Tall Telephone, this vigorous heirloom climbing pea from 1891 produces some of the largest and most flavorful shelling peas available. The impressive 6-foot vines yield massive pods packed with 8-10 sweet, large peas perfect for fresh eating or preserving. This variety is ideal for gardeners who want maximum production from minimal space.
Carouby de Maussane
A spectacular French heirloom snow pea that produces enormous purple-flowered vines and the largest edible pods of any pea variety. These impressive 4-5 inch wide, flat pods are incredibly tender and sweet when harvested young, making them a gourmet delight. The vigorous climbing plants create an edible privacy screen while producing abundant harvests throughout the cool season.
Cascadia
An All-America Selections winner sugar snap pea variety bred specifically for disease resistance and consistent production. This compact variety produces sweet, crunchy pods with fully developed peas inside that are eaten whole, combining the best traits of snow peas and shelling peas. Perfect for gardeners seeking reliability and exceptional flavor in a manageable plant size.
Dwarf Grey Sugar
A charming heirloom snow pea from the 1770s that proves good things come in small packages. This compact variety features distinctive purple flowers followed by tender, stringless pods that are perfect for small gardens and containers. Despite its modest size, Dwarf Grey Sugar delivers exceptional flavor and represents centuries of careful selection by European gardeners.
Golden Sweet
A unique golden-yellow snow pea that adds vibrant color and exceptional sweetness to the garden and table. This rare variety produces beautiful bright yellow pods that are tender and delicious when harvested young, making it a conversation starter and gourmet treat. The striking color intensifies when cooked, creating stunning visual appeal in any dish.
Green Arrow
A high-yielding shelling pea that consistently produces heavy crops of long, dark green pods packed with sweet peas. Developed for its exceptional productivity and disease resistance, Green Arrow matures its crop uniformly, making it perfect for preserving or farmers market sales. This reliable variety performs well in various climates and soil conditions, earning its place as a garden staple.
Kelvedon Wonder
A British favorite since 1925 that combines early maturity with exceptional productivity in a compact plant. This reliable variety produces abundant crops of well-filled pods containing 7-9 sweet, tender peas that have made it a mainstay in European gardens for nearly a century. Kelvedon Wonder's dependable performance and superior flavor make it perfect for gardeners seeking a proven, space-efficient shelling pea.
Lincoln
A dependable All-America Selections winner from 1908 that remains one of the most popular shelling peas for home gardeners. This variety produces heavy yields of dark green pods filled with exceptionally sweet peas that freeze beautifully. Lincoln's consistent performance and excellent flavor have made it a garden staple for over a century.
Little Marvel
A compact heirloom shelling pea perfect for small gardens and beginning gardeners since 1908. Despite its dwarf stature, Little Marvel produces an abundant harvest of plump, sweet peas that mature all at once for easy picking. This reliable variety consistently delivers exceptional flavor and has been a garden favorite for over a century.
Mammoth Melting Sugar
An impressive heirloom snow pea variety dating back to the 1880s, producing enormous 4-5 inch edible pods on towering vines. The sweet, crisp pods literally melt in your mouth and are perfect for stir-fries and fresh eating. This vigorous climber is a conversation starter in any garden with its exceptional size and productivity.
Oregon Giant
A spectacular snow pea variety that produces the largest, most impressive edible pods you'll ever grow. These enormous, flat pods can reach 5-6 inches long while maintaining incredible tenderness and sweet flavor throughout their size. Oregon Giant transforms any garden into a conversation starter while providing abundant harvests of restaurant-quality snow peas perfect for Asian cuisine.
Oregon Sugar Pod II
An improved snow pea variety that produces enormous yields of tender, flat pods perfect for stir-frying and Asian cuisine. This disease-resistant variety thrives in cool weather and keeps producing sweet, crisp pods for weeks longer than most snow peas. Oregon Sugar Pod II is prized by both home gardeners and commercial growers for its reliability and exceptional flavor.
Progress No. 9
A dependable English shelling pea that has been a garden favorite since the 1930s, prized for its consistent production and excellent flavor. This compact, dwarf variety produces plump pods filled with 7-9 large, sweet peas that are perfect for fresh eating or preserving. Its reliable performance and disease resistance make it an ideal choice for beginning gardeners.
Purple Top
A stunning heirloom snow pea that combines beauty with exceptional flavor, featuring gorgeous purple flowers and purple-tinged pods. Dating back to the 1700s, this vigorous climbing variety produces tender, flat pods that are harvested young and eaten whole. The ornamental value makes it perfect for edible landscaping while delivering outstanding culinary results.
Sugar Ann
An All-America Selections winner that revolutionized snap pea growing with its dwarf, space-saving habit. This early-maturing variety produces crisp, sweet pods that are perfect for eating fresh or adding to stir-fries. Despite its compact size, Sugar Ann delivers exceptional yields and outstanding flavor that rivals much larger varieties.
Sugar Snap
The original edible-pod pea that revolutionized home gardens when introduced in 1979. These plump, sweet pods can be eaten whole when young or shelled for plump peas when mature, offering incredible versatility. Winner of the All-America Selections award, Sugar Snap peas are beloved for their exceptional sweetness and satisfying crunch.
Sugar Sprint
An early-season snap pea that delivers sweet, crunchy pods in record time. This compact variety is perfect for impatient gardeners who want to harvest delicious snap peas within 60 days of planting. The vigorous plants produce abundant 3-inch pods that are excellent for fresh eating, stir-fries, or freezing.
Telephone
A treasured heirloom from the 1870s that remains one of the finest shelling peas ever developed. This tall, vigorous climber produces enormous pods packed with 8-10 large, exceptionally sweet peas that have satisfied gardeners for over 150 years. The impressive height and prolific production make Telephone a garden showstopper that delivers old-fashioned pea flavor at its absolute best.
Thomas Laxton
A prized English heirloom from 1900 renowned for producing some of the sweetest, most tender peas available to home gardeners. This early-season variety beats many modern peas to harvest while delivering superior flavor that's particularly sweet when picked young. Thomas Laxton has remained popular for over 120 years because it consistently produces restaurant-quality peas that make every gardener feel like a gourmet.
Wando
A heat-tolerant shelling pea variety developed for gardeners in warmer climates who thought they couldn't grow peas. This reliable variety produces sweet, tender peas even when temperatures rise, extending the growing season significantly. Perfect for Southern gardens and areas with unpredictable spring weather.
Zone 4 Growing Tips
Start your first pea planting 4-6 weeks before your last frost date, which puts you in early to mid-April for Zone 4. Peas can germinate in soil as cool as 40°F, though they'll emerge faster when soil reaches 50°F. Don't wait for perfect conditions – peas actually prefer cool, moist soil and can handle light frosts down to about 28°F once established. For insurance, keep row covers handy for unexpected late cold snaps.
Succession planting every 2-3 weeks through early June will give you continuous harvests. Plant your last crop about 10-12 weeks before your first fall frost (mid-July for most Zone 4 areas) for a fall harvest. This timing lets you take advantage of cooling September weather, when peas often produce their sweetest pods. Fall-planted peas frequently outperform spring crops since they mature in ideal cool conditions rather than struggling against increasing heat.
Zone 4's biggest challenge is the transition from cool, wet springs to hot summers. Mulch heavily once soil warms to keep roots cool, and consider planting taller varieties on the north side of your garden where they'll get afternoon shade. Don't skip the inoculant when planting – the beneficial bacteria help peas fix nitrogen and establish better in cool soils.
Season Overview
Your May 10th average last frost and September 25th first frost create a 135-day window that's perfect for peas with strategic planning. Plant cold-hardy varieties in mid-April for June harvests, then transition to heat-tolerant types like Wando and Oregon Sugar Pod II for July picking. The long season allows for a mid-summer break when it's too hot for peas, followed by late July plantings for September and early October harvests – often your best crop of the year as temperatures cool but soil stays warm for good germination.