Few vegetables taste better than freshly picked peas. But not everyone has the room to grow and support peas in their gardens. If you have a small, sunny garden, all is not lost, however. There is an heirloom pea that thrives in small spaces like balconies and porches. Come take a peek…
Photo by Isabel Gomes of climbing peas from my California garden.
Copyright Seed Savers Exchange
Growing peas in smaller spaces is easier with the right varieties. Meet ‘Tom Thumb’ … a charming English heirloom introduced to the United States in the 1800s. One of the best dwarf peas for containers, ‘Tom Thumb’ grows only 8 inches tall. He may be small, but he makes up for it in performance.
These handsome peas come in 50 to 55 days, and can withstand hard frosts. This makes ‘Tom Thumb’ even more attractive to gardeners with short growing seasons, or for those regions where winter seems to skip right to summer.
Grow a pot of these peas on a porch table, and let folks nibble right from the plant. With peas this ripe, you don’t even need to cook them.
Learn more about growing peas and eating peas. Visit Seed Savers Exchange.
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How cool! I didn’t realize there was such a container-friendly pea plant out there.
I am so excited to try these.
Virginia and Fern: Aren’t ‘Tom Thumb’ peas terrific? So small, yet hardy enough to grow in hard frosts. Thanks for stopping by. Teresa
I love these! They are perfect for some of our school gardens to use in their container beds. And who couldn’t love the name!?
Hi Theresa: Aren’t they cute little pea plants? And prolific too. I bet the kids at your school gardens would love them. Thanks for stopping by.
Wow, I like fresh peas, but didn’t know I could grow them in a pot. I’m going to follow up on this
Do it, Marian. With the right growing conditions, these little pea plants will perform nicely. Thanks for stopping by, and good luck gardening this year.
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