Shelling Pea
Tall Telephone Pea is a climbing variety that reaches 5 to 6 feet in height, producing abundant pods each filled with up to 8 sweet peas. Ready to harvest in just 75 days, this annual thrives in full sun and grows beautifully on a trellis, where its height becomes an asset rather than a liability. Heat resistant and capable of withstanding light frosts, it's a reliable producer for gardeners looking to maximize their vertical growing space.
Full Sun
—
?-?
?in H x ?in W
Annual
High
Hover over chart points for details
This pea climbs to 5 to 6 feet and yields heavily with pods containing up to 8 peas each. The catalog specifically recommends growing it on an arched trellis for the most beautiful display, turning your vegetable garden into something genuinely ornamental. Its tolerance for both heat and light frost means you can plant it earlier in spring and keep harvesting into cooler weather, extending your season significantly.
Tall Telephone Pea is grown for fresh eating, with the tender pods harvested at peak sweetness and eaten raw or lightly cooked. The individual peas inside each pod are the primary harvest, though young pods can be enjoyed whole. Gardeners typically grow this variety for summer salads, stir-fries, or simply for snacking fresh from the vine.
Direct sow Tall Telephone Pea seeds into the garden as soon as soil can be worked in spring, planting them along your prepared trellis or support structure. Sow seeds at the recommended spacing and water gently to settle them into place.
Begin harvesting Tall Telephone Pea pods approximately 75 days after planting. Pick pods when they're full and firm to the touch but still tender, before they become hard and starchy. Regular harvesting encourages the plant to produce more flowers and pods throughout the season. Snap or cut pods from the vine to avoid damaging the climbing stems.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.