How Low Of A Temperature Can Peas Stand?

Peas are one of the first crops that you can plant in your garden. There are a great many sayings on how peas should be planted before St. Patrick's Day or before the Ides of March. In many areas, these dates fall early enough in the season that there still may be frosts, freezing temperatures, and even snow. While peas are able to take the cold and even flourish best in cool temperatures, how cold does it have to be before they are no longer able to tolerate the cold?

How Low of a Temperature Can Peas Stand?

Peas are able to do just fine in temperatures as low as 28 degrees F. (-2 C.) If temperatures don't fall below this mark, peas and pea seedlings will be just fine. When temps are between 20 and 28 degrees F. (-2 to -6 C.) peas can survive the cold but will suffer some damage. (This is assuming that the cold happens without an insulating blanket of snow.) If snow has fallen and has covered the peas, the plants can tolerate temperatures as low as 10 degrees F. (-15 C.) or even 5 degrees F. (-12 C.) without suffering too much damage. Peas grow best in temperatures no higher than 70 degrees F. (21 C.) during the day and no lower than 50 degrees F. (10 C.) at night. Peas will grow and produce outside of these temperatures though, as these are only the best conditions under which to grow them. While folklore may say that you should have your peas planted by about the middle of March, it is always a wise idea to take into account your local climate and weather patterns before doing so.