How to Grow a Dwarf Grey Sugar Pea

Prepare a soil bed in a sunny location with rich, well-drained soil at a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Incorporate organic matter and apply a fertilizer containing 16 parts nitrogen, 16 parts phosphorus and 8 parts potassium. Plan on germinating the seeds early in spring so they can ripen before hot summer temperatures arrive. Or, plant in mid or late summer for a fall harvest. Pods will be ready for harvest about 65 days after planting.

Space seeds 1 to 2 inches apart in rows, at a depth of 1/2 to 1 inch. Germination will occur in 5 to 7 days. As a dwarf variety, dwarf grey peas do not require a trellis for support, but providing one may help improve productivity and make it easier to pick the pods. To do so, place a trellis directly next to the seeds before they are established, avoiding damage to root systems that might be growing. Train vines and encourage tendrils to attach to the support.

Provide water to keep soil evenly moist. In hot months, daily watering may be required. Plants especially need water after flowering to encourage pod production. Over-watering and soggy soil can lead to root rot.

Apply an all-purpose fertilizer after planting seeds. Fertilizing is usually not necessary later in the plant's life. As legumes, they are capable of obtaining nitrogen directly from the soil. An application of fertilizer early in the plant's life can help its initial growth, before the plant has developed nitrogen-fixing nodules.

Harvest once pods reach about 2 1/2 inches in length, but before they begin bulging. Pods should be flat and tender.