When to plant peas in Hawaii
Hawaii is essentially frost-free (USDA zones 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b, 13a), so pea timing there is set by heat and daylength rather than frost. As a cool-season crop, it does best in the cooler months (roughly October–March) and tends to bolt in summer heat.
Hawaii covers a wide range of climates, so your exact frost dates may differ from the state average by two weeks or more. For dates tuned to your town, use the calendar generator.
When to plant peas in Hawaii: the short answer
For a spring planting, sow Dec 23 – Jan 11. Seeds germinate in soil from 40 to 85°F.
Your area is essentially frost-free, so planting dates are set by heat and daylength rather than frost. Treat the ranges below as broad season guides.
Cool-season crop: in a frost-free area grow it in the cooler months (roughly October to March) and expect bolting in summer heat.
Windows are ~1–2 week bands around each date. Frost dates are a statewide average from NOAA/NCEI normals; your town may differ by two weeks or more. Calendar year 2026.
How to grow peas in Hawaii, step by step
- Prepare the bed. They need at least six to eight hours of direct sun a day and loose soil at least 18 inches deep, with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5. Dig in compost before planting.
- Sow outdoors (Dec 23 – Jan 11). Space plants about 2 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart, sowing seed 1 inch deep. It handles frost well, so it can go out before the last frost date. As a cool-season crop it does best before summer heat arrives in Hawaii.
- Water and feed. Give it steady, even moisture, about an inch of water a week from rain or the hose.
- Watch for pests and problems. Pests: aphids, pea weevil, armyworm. Diseases and disorders: powdery mildew, fusarium wilt, root rot.
- Harvest (from about Feb 21 – Mar 8). Pea takes 55-70 days to reach harvest. Sow as soon as the soil can be worked - 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost. Production stops once daytime highs stay above ~80 F.
Figures come from our crop data; dates use Hawaii’s average frost dates. More in the full pea growing guide.