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Peas are annual crops grown for their edible seeds which lay in a pod. In some varieties, the pods can be eaten too.
Although peas are cool weather plants, they need protection from the extreme frost that winter brings. The best time to plant peas is in spring, as soon as the ground has thawed.
In what ways can one protect peas from frost? At the end of this article, you should know when and how to protect peas from frost.
Pea Varieties
Peas come in 3 main varieties: sweet peas, snow peas and snap peas.
Sweet Peas
Sweet peas are a colourful and fragrant variety with inedible pods. They are usually supported with trellises because they are climbing plants.
Sweet pea flowers add that pop of colour that gives your garden a homely feel.
Sweet peas taste sweet as their name implies.
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Snow peas
Snow peas can be eaten with their pods. The peas themselves are small and delicate.
Crisp and tender when cooked, they are used a lot in stir-fry dishes. This makes sense as it is believed they originated somewhere in Southwest Asia.
They can still be served raw.
Snap peas
Snap peas are a cross between sweet peas and snow peas. Snap pea pods are edible.
The peas are larger than the snow peas and the pod is less fibrous than the pods of sweet peas. It has a wider adaptation and tolerance range than the other peas.
Does Frost Harm Peas?
Peas, being cool season plants will be fine if exposed to a light frost. Peas have excellent frost resilience.
Peas can grow in temperatures anywhere between 40 and 65 degrees. Some hardy peas can even tolerate 28 degrees.
But the pods and blossoms can be damaged by a hard frost. Therefore, it is necessary to provide peas with protection from frost.
Young peas are more prone to frost damage because their developing roots are still exposed. Frost damage can be mild or severe depending on the harshness of the frost.
Mild frost damage can leave your peas shrivelled or discoloured. Severe frost damage spoils the harvest by rendering peas inedible.
Peas don’t do well in hot weather. They suffer more in the heat than in frost.
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When Should You Protect Peas from Frost?
Peas do not require protection from light frost and cool temperatures. Consider protecting against frost once temperatures drop below -2 degrees.
Peas should be protected from frost during the winter. Even after winter, if the forecast predicts frosty weather, action should be taken.
When the frost is forecast, water the plants during the day to allow the moist soil to absorb the light energy from the sun. During the night, this heat is gradually radiated from the ground into the atmosphere.
While the pea plant can survive cool temperatures, the blossoms and pods of the pea plant may be damaged by late spring frost.
4 Ways to Protect Peas from Frost
Placing plants along benches, fences, and walls can provide additional protection, especially if the structures are dark in colour. During the day, the structures absorb heat. At night they radiate this heat and keep the plants warmer.
There are 4 winter weather tips to protect peas from frost:
1. Add warmth
2. Avoid watering peas before predicted frost
3. Cover pea plants with old blankets and sheets
4. Place containers over pea seedlings
1. Add warmth
Ensure your peas are protected from frost by increasing the heat around them. A good suggestion is to fill milk bottles with hot water and place them under a protective covering with the plants.
Do this in the evening so that warmth can slowly diffuse all through the night.
Alternatively, hang a string on non-LED lights under the arch supports. Don’t let the lights come into direct contact with the peas.
Mulching can insulate the soil against drastic temperature changes. Use shredded newspapers or leaves around the bases of the plants.
The mulch should be 10cm in thickness, thick enough to create a barrier against frost.
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2. Avoid watering peas before predicted frost
Watering pea plants is important for their development. Water them thoroughly as they grow for the best results.
However, avoid watering in the days leading up to frost. If you make the mistake of watering before frost, your peas will develop root rot because of excessive moisture.
3. Cover pea plants with old blankets and sheets
You can protect peas from frost by simply covering them with old blankets and sheets. Make sure these are suspended by stakes, to prevent them from touching the plants.
Blankets protect peas from frost by blocking out cold air while holding a layer of warm air around them. If you don’t have old sheets to spare, buy frost blankets from the store.
Frost blankets and garden blankets are made from a lightweight woven material specially made to protect plants. The fabric lets some light through and is breathable so it can be left on during the day when longer protection is necessary.
Frost blankets come in different thicknesses. Thicker covers protect the plants better than thinner covers. Thinner row covers can protect plants up to 28°F while thicker frost covers protect plants up to 24°F.
4. Place containers over pea seedlings
Place pots, empty cans, plastic cups or buckets over young pea plants. They create an insulating layer around the plants, keeping warmth in and cold air out.
If it is especially windy, place rocks or small weights on the containers to keep them from toppling over. Place the containers over the peas when darkness hasn’t fallen and there’s still warmth to be trapped.
How to Cover Peas from Frost
Cover the plants in the late afternoon just before the sun goes down to form a tent above the ground containing a pocket of warmer air. Make sure the tent touches the ground on both sides, not allowing warm air any means to escape.
1. Cover Peas Completely:
The goal of covering plants is to trap warm air under the canopy. Make sure your cover reaches the ground, and use boards, rocks, or bricks to hold it in place to keep warm air in and cold air out.
2. Keep the Covering Away from the plant:
Make sure the cover does not touch the plant. The material covering the peas can transfer moisture and cold to the leaves when touched. Use stakes to prevent covers from touching the pea plants.
3. Remove the Coverings in the Morning:
Remove the covering in the morning and let the plants warm up naturally. The heat from the sun can build beneath the coverings, and plants can die from high temperatures.
Conclusion
In the early spring, when the risk of frost is particularly high, it is essential to closely monitor weather conditions through weather radio, television or the internet for reports of expected cold spells.
This way you can prepare for when the frost comes. It’s also a good idea to regularly check the soil temperature near your peas to see how cold it is for them and whether or not you need to do anything about it.
It can be a real disappointment to lose your pea plants if a sudden late spring frost hits. I hope these tips will help you be ready to protect peas from frost if temperatures dip near freezing.
