Mr. Big Pea
Be sure to check out our Green Pea Growing Guide for more tips & tricks on successfully growing green peas in your garden.
Mr. Big Pea is considered one of the best English Pea varieties available. This improved garden pea variety is known for its productivity and large pods that are easy to shell. Prolific vines will grow 2-3′ tall and perform best when trellised. We suggest using a panel trellis or a modified Florida weave with wooden stakes and twine ran on several levels between the stakes. Mr. Big Pea is absolutely delicious and doesn’t require any butter to enhance the flavor. There’s just no comparison between fresh garden peas and those bought at the grocery store.
Mr. Big Pea produces double pods at each node. Pods grow outward for quick and easy harvesting. Pods are large and dense. Each pod will grow to about 4 1/2″ long with 8-11 plump peas per pod. Mature, filled pods pop open easily and require little effort to shell. Mr. Big is most delicious when consumed fresh. It is excellent when boiled alone, but makes a great addition to pasta, salads and more. It is also a quality variety for freezing when blanched, dried and vacuum-sealed.
We recommend planting Mr. Big Pea using a walk-behind planter like our Hoss Garden Seeder. Use a #5 seed plate, but always check the hole size and modify if necessary. We recommend installing the trellis before planting. English peas perform very well when planted on double rows, with one row on each side of the trellis. This will allow you to maximize garden space, maximize the trellis, and produce more vegetables per square foot of garden. English peas should be harvested when pods reach about 4″ in length, and are full and plump.
Mr. Big Pea Planting Information
Planting Method: direct seed
When to Plant: early spring and fall
Planting Depth: 1″
Seed Spacing: 2″
Row Spacing: 4-6′
Days to Maturity: 60
Disease Resistance: Fusarium Wilt, Powdery Mildew
