Wando peas

Wando peas are a popular English-style pea because they can be planted early in the cold, but also produce well in warm weather. This season-stretching pea variety can provide fruit in the summer, fall, and—in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 9 to 11—in winter. Wando produces blunt, dark green pods with seven to eight medium-sized peas that are delicious fresh or frozen. Introduced in 1943, Wando is a cross between Laxton’s Progress (an English heirloom) and Perfection (a New England heirloom).

Sun Exposure

• Full to partial sun (six to eight hours)

Soil pH

• 6.0 to 7.5

Hardiness Zones

• 4 to 11

Spacing

• Sow 1-2 inches apart, 1/2-1 inch deep
• Plant rows 24 inches apart
• Vines grow 24 to 30 inches

Moisture

• Water deeply 1 inch a week; do not let soil dry out

Notes

• Shelling type
• 70 days to maturity
• First sowing should be in early spring as soon as soil can be worked
• Last sowing should be 2 months before frost
• Reasonably resistant to frost, heat, drought and root knot nematodes
• Great for salads, soups, and side dishes

Do you grow Wando peas? If so, please tell us how your peas have produced in different seasons.