Planting companion plants with your peas is a smart method to control pests and diseases. Especially in the short garden, where there is not much space to grow multiple vegetables.
Some vegetables are suitable to be grown together and help each other for a good harvest.
Talking about peas, it is a cold vegetable that likes to thrive in the cold season. Peas usually do not do well when transplanted, so plant them directly in the garden. With that also plan which companion plants will help to grow them.
Let me make this simple, there are particularly two types of companion plants. One helps to control or prevent pests and diseases, and the second helps vegetables for a better harvest.
Experience gardener’s companion vegetables that have the same soil and nutrient requirement and control, pest, and diseases from chemicals.
But, if you’re new, growing several vegetables is not recommended. You can organically control pests and diseases with suitable plant companion plants.
Quick guide for peas companion plants
| Benefits | Companion plants for peas |
| Attract beneficial insects | Borage flowers |
| Pest control | Marigold flowers, Nasturtium, Catnip, and Rue |
| Improve soil nutrients | Pole beans and Bush beans |
| Provide necessary shade | Asparagus and Zucchini |
| Provide ground cover | Oregano |
| Fast growing plant | Radish |
| Encourage faster growth and better taste | Marjoram, Summer Savory and Chamomile |
Attract beneficial insects
Pollinators such as bees and ladybugs need a little bit of guidance in order to make their way into vegetable gardens and pollinate the crops. In order to entice pollinators to their gardens, gardeners often cultivate visually appealing plants like borage blooms.
Beneficial insects, including pollinators like butterflies and bees, are necessary to the pollination process of all plants. The presence of bees and other pollinators leads to the development of fruits that are bigger and tastier as well as an increase in agricultural yields. Pollination of crops is estimated to generate yearly revenue of 10 billion dollars in only the United States. It is probable that the value of pollination services on a global scale exceeds 3 trillion dollars.
Pest control
There are many different types of pests that may cause damage to vegetable plants, including cabbage worms, carrot flies, Japanese beetles, maggots, squash bugs, and many others. Companion plants, such as marigold flowers, Nasturtium, and rue plant have the ability to ward off certain pests that grow in close vicinity to certain crops in order to maintain those crops free of pests.
Improve soil nutrients
As plants develop, they extract useful nutrients from the soil, leaving the gardener with a lot of work to perform at the end of the growing season in order to restore the soil’s nutrients. However, there are several types of companion plants, such as bush beans and pole beans, that may assist maintain the health of other plants in the garden by returning nutrients, such as nitrogen, to the soil. Negative effects on plant development might be expected in the absence of nitrogen.
Provide necessary shade
Plants that are able to grow tall and have a lot of foliage, such as zucchini and asparagus, may provide a welcoming shadow over sun-loving plants that are grown below them. The shade will help to retain moisture in the soil for long hours which will help peas to grow well.
Provide ground cover
Plants that grow low to the ground and spread out like oregano act as a covering over the soil, shielding it from the heat of the sun and maintaining it at a more favorable temperature for plants that thrive at lower levels of heat.
Fast growing plant
While you are waiting for the seeds to germinate and develop into plants, it might be tough to visualize where the rows will be when you are cultivating plants that grow slowly (like peas). Gardeners sometimes employ fast-growing plants such as radishes to indicate where the slower-growing plants will be located by mixing them with slower-growing plants in their rows.
Encourage faster growth and better taste
Many different types of companion plants, such as marjoram and summer savory, secrete specialized compounds that stimulate quicker growth and/or greater flavor in the plants that are growing around them.
Best Companion plants for peas
Below I listed companion plants for peas that you should consider growing together for a better harvest.
- Green Beans
- Sweet corns
- Turnips
- Radishes
- Carrots
- Basil
- Spinach and lettuce
- Cucumbers
- Cauliflowers
- Nasturtium and Marigold
Pea plants are responsible for the addition of nitrogen, which is an essential component for the development of lush, green plant life, in the surrounding soil. Pea plants and other legumes have bacteria that dwell on their roots, and these bacteria transform the nitrogen in the air into a dissolved form that the roots can easily absorb. This process, which is referred to as nitrogen fixation, is the primary reason why peas are helpful to a wide variety of vegetables that are grown in gardens. Peas may be grown successfully with a wide variety of dependable companion plants.
Green Beans
Beans and peas have similar growing conditions and beans also fix nitrogen in the soil that helps nearby plants to grow.
Sweet corns
Corn makes natural trellis for peas tendrils.
Turnips
Turnips and peas are great companions. Peas fix beneficial nitrogen in the soil around turnips and turnips repel harmful pests that can damage peas.
Radishes
You can grow radishes with peas. Peas are slow-growing plants, plant radishes along with fast-growing root vegetables that develop without disturbance.
Carrots
Peas and carrots grow in similar conditions. Plant both vegetables in early summer to harvest in fall. Both crops thrive in cool and moist conditions and mature for around 70 to 80 days.
Basil
Basil is an aromatic herb that repels pests called thrips. Thrips live in the peas, plant flowers, and eat up growing seed pods.
Spinach and lettuce
Plant spinach and lettuce with peas for a good harvest. These all are cold-weather plants that grow in fertile and moist soil. Peas fix nitrogen around the spinach and lettuce which helps them to give a better harvest.
Cucumbers
Again cucumbers and peas thrive in the same condition without disturbing each other. Check best companion plants for cucumbers
Cauliflowers
The nitrogen that peas release into the soil improves the growth and harvest of cauliflower.
Nasturtium and Marigold
Nasturtiums and marigolds are flowering plants. These plants are so appealing to aphids. When nasturtium and marigold are planted around peas, aphids avoid peas and feast on these flowers. Plant these flowers at least 1 foot away from peas, so that aphids do not transmit.
Companion plants you should avoid planting near peas.
Never plant members of the allium family near peas. They tend to stunt the growth of peas.
Members of the Allium family:
- Onions
- Garlic
- Leeks
- Shallots
- Scallions
- Chives
Know how to grow, care for, and harvest chives.
Planting Peas
Since peas are annual vegetable plants, they need to be replanted every year in order to provide food. Because they thrive in cooler climates, the optimal time to plant them is during the spring. It is common knowledge that pea seeds should be planted outside by March 17th; however, in order for this to be successful, the climate zone must be at least 5 and higher. A better rule of thumb is to put them outside around one month before the last frost that is expected to occur in your region. There will be further information included on the seed package on how long it takes for the seeds to germinate, taking into account the temperature of the soil.
Peas aren’t picky about the kind of soil they grow in, but they do prefer one that is rich in nutrients and has good drainage. They have a harder difficulty surviving on soil that is high in heavy clay content. Because pea plants do not often make it through the transplanting process, it is better to begin growing peas from seeds planted directly in the garden bed. For the greatest pea output, be sure to plant in direct sunlight. After they are established, peas need minimal attention once they have grown. A thorough watering once a week should be sufficient, but you shouldn’t allow the plants to get too dry since it will reduce the number of pods they produce.
Harvesting Peas
The pod contains the information necessary to determine when the peas are prepared for harvesting. If it is round-green and has a bit of a gloss to it, then it is ready to eat. If the pod is a dull green color, then you have missed the pod’s optimum growing period. Because pea plants are on the more delicate side, you’ll want to handle the pod harvest with care. The more often crops are harvested, the more they tend to produce.
Storing Peas
Peas from the garden taste the finest when they have just been harvested, much like the majority of other vegetables. In the event that you are unable to use them right away, you may store them in the fridge for about five days. Freezing them is the finest alternative to choose if you want to keep them for a longer period of time. Peas may also be dried and stored for a longer period of time this way. Even if they have lost part of their taste, they are still a delicious ingredient in winter stews and soups.
Did I Miss Anything?
Now I’d like to hear from you: which plant from today’s post are you going to try first? Or maybe, I didn’t mention your favorite companion plants for peas. Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below right now.
Before going if you want to grow beautiful flowers in your garden? Then click on these articles also.
Hey! I’m Madhuresh, a passionate content creator, and a Plant lover. I created Shiny Plant to explore and learn about new plants. The purpose is to provide simple and effective Gardening Tips. Hope you’ll find this informative.