How to Grow Golden Sweet
Pisum sativum 'Golden Sweet'
Golden Sweet is a popular hybrid garden pea valued for its reliable yield and disease resistance. Gardeners appreciate this cool-season crop for its ability to thrive in cooler temperatures while producing sweet, tender pods that require minimal effort to harvest.
📷 Wikipedia: PeaStarting Golden Sweet: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Golden Sweet is not usually started indoors.
This variety is best direct-sown into the garden rather than started indoors and transplanted.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, well-draining soil with a pH between 6.2 and 7.0 to ensure optimal growth. As a cool-season legume, you should sow seeds directly outdoors 2 to 6 weeks before your last spring frost date. Press the seeds gently into the soil at a depth of about one inch, as they typically germinate within 8 to 14 days once conditions are right.
Space plants 4 to 6 inches apart in rows that are roughly two feet wide. Because Golden Sweet grows up to ten feet tall, you must provide sturdy trellising or support structures immediately after planting. Maintain consistent moisture by watering regularly and applying a light layer of mulch to retain soil humidity without smothering the vines.
Watch for aphids, thrips, pea weevils, and leafminers; encourage beneficial insects or use insecticidal soap if infestations occur. Prevent powdery mildew and bacterial blight by ensuring good air circulation and avoiding overhead watering. Harvest the pods approximately 60 days after sowing when they are plump but still crisp to enjoy peak sweetness.
When to Plant Golden Sweet
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | June – July | August – September |
| Zone 2 | — | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 3 | — | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | — | April – June | June – October |
| Zone 5 | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | — | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | — | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | — | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | — | January – March | March – December |
| Zone 11 | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 12 | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 13 | — | January – February | February – December |
Companion Plants for Golden Sweet
✓ Good companions
Peas fix nitrogen in soil that carrots benefit from, while carrots break up soil for pea roots
Repels aphids and other pests that commonly attack pea plants
Can climb together with peas on shared trellises and benefit from nitrogen fixation
Benefits from nitrogen fixed by peas and provides ground cover to retain soil moisture
Attract beneficial insects and may help deter nematodes in the soil
Deters ants and rodents that may eat pea seeds, while tolerating partial shade from pea vines
Break up compacted soil and mature quickly, allowing space for pea growth
Enjoys the nitrogen-rich environment created by peas and shares similar growing conditions
✗ Keep away from
Allelopathic compounds can stunt pea growth and interfere with beneficial root bacteria
Competes heavily for nutrients and may harbor thrips that damage pea plants
May inhibit pea growth and nitrogen fixation through root secretions
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
