How to Germinate Peas

Peas supply a wide variety of nutrients to your diet. Depending on the type--from sugar snap peas to dry peas to green garden peas - they provide high amounts of fiber, iron, protein, Vitamin C, lysine, tryptophan and carbohydrates. Peas are a cool-season crop, so indoor planting and germination should take place several weeks before the last frost in your area. This will ensure plenty of time for outdoor planting, growth and harvest before temperatures warm to the point where pea plants fail to grow and produce. Although you can plant pea seeds directly in the ground, horticulturists with the Oregon State University Extension Service and the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources advise that knowledge of how to germinate peas before planting ensures a better harvest.