You can think about peas as being the star of your vegetable garden. They are useful, because they put nitrogen in the soil. They also need quite a lot of direct sunlight, just as though they’re in the spotlight.
Peas grow best when they get enough light: about 6 – 8 hours per day. Preferably, this should be direct sunlight, but the plants should not get too hot, or they could begin to wilt. Peas can grow in shade or partial shade, but the general light should still be quite bright.
Peas don’t prefer morning or afternoon sun, as long as the overall temperature is not too hot and they still get enough light during the day. In this article, we unpack just what it means to give your peas enough light.
How much sun do peas need?
To grow well, peas need between 6 and 8 hours of sun per day. Preferably, at least most of this should be direct sunlight. However, they don’t like hot temperatures and will grow in partial sun if necessary. The more light the peas get, the better they’ll grow.
On average, peas need about 6 – 8 hours of sun daily.
The minimum should be about 6 hours.
In some areas, the plants may get more than 8 hours of sun a day, particularly during long summer days.
They should be grown either in full sun, or in partial shade.
Peas can be planted early in the season, because they are a cool season crop.
This means they will get the benefit of the sun from early on in the growing season.
When you decide where to plant your peas, remember that they are very useful companion plants in any vegetable garden, because they add nitrogen to the soil.
As most vegetables need quite a lot of full sun, the peas will do well just about anywhere in your vegetable garden.
Find out how much sun beans need.
Can peas get too much sun?
Peas grow best and fastest if they get enough sunlight during the day. This usually means between 6 and 8 hours. However, they don’t tolerate hot temperatures well and can get too much sun in hotter areas. If the pea plants get too much sun, they can begin to wilt & the leaves can turn brown.
Peas have a long growing season, which begins in early spring.
As soon as the ground is workable at the end of winter, peas can be planted.
This gives the peas long exposure to the sun.
However, they are essentially a cool weather crop, so they won’t do particularly well if they are exposed to very hot su.
Generally, pea plants need between 6 and 8 hours of sun a day.
They can do with only 6 hours, but that is the minimum.
If you live in an area that has long summers, it may be more effective to plant the peas in a spot that will get shade for part of the day.
Peas can grow in both direct sun and partial shade.
In this case, it would be better to let them grow in partial shade and some full sun.
In the shade, they will grow at a slower rate, but it will prevent the plants from being scalded by the sun.
If pea plants are exposed to too much direct sun, they can get dried out more quickly, which means there is less water and nutrients for them to take up.
The leaves can also be burnt by the sun, which means they will begin to wilt and may turn brown and die.
Peas do very well in a vertical garden, so one way of protecting them from too much sun is to grow them against a wall that gets some full sun, but not during the hottest time of the day.
How much sun do snow peas need?
Snow peas need enough light to grow. This means between 6 – 8 hours of sun a day. Most should be full sun, but they should not be exposed to sun and very high temperatures. The peas will grow in the shade as well.
Snow peas need quite a lot of sun to germinate and to grow.
Although they are planted in early spring, make sure the soil will be relatively warm during the day.
The seeds should be planted only about 1 inch (+2.5 cm) deep.
This will allow the sun to get to them quite easily.
The bean plants should grow in full sun, as much as possible, so their position should be away from shelter and shade.
This will give the snow peas at least 6 hours of sun a day.
However, you may need to protect them against very hot sun if you live in a warmer area.
In this case, the snow peas should be planted where they could be in at least partial shade over midday.
They will still get their 6 – 8 hours of sun a day, although not all of it may be direct sunlight.
Do peas prefer morning or afternoon sun?
Pea plants must get at least 6 hours of sun a day. This means that they don’t necessarily prefer morning or afternoon sun, as long as they get enough sun, which helps them to grow. The position they are planted in should avoid them becoming too hot in the sun.
As long as pea plants get enough sun during the day, they don’t do better with afternoon sun or morning sun.
However, you may need to make a judgement according to the amount of sun you get in your area during the day.
They need at least 6 – 8 hours of tolerable sun a day.
The ideal position to plant them in is where they will get the full sun during the cooler part of the day.
If you live further east and have an early sunrise, then morning sun will be better for them.
This will give them the full sun during the cooler part of the day.
If you have a late sunset, the best position will be so that they get the afternoon sun.
This means they will be in the shade during the hottest time of the day and then get the full sun as the day begins to cool down.
Will peas grow in the shade?
Peas grow best in full sun, which means about 6 hours a day. However, they do prefer cooler temperatures, so they can grow in the shade, particularly during the hotter months. If they are grown in the shade, they will grow at a slower rate than in the full sun.
Peas prefer to grow in full sun for about 6 hours a day.
They are, however, a cool season crop, so they prefer slightly cooler temperatures.
This means they should preferably not be exposed to the sun in the middle of summer.
During the hottest months, peas will actually grow better away from the direct hot sun.
This means they can grow in the shade.
They still need bright light, though.
However, when they are planted in the shade, the rate of growth of a bean plant is slower than in the sun.
Depending on the average temperature in your area, you can plant the peas either in the sun or shade, where they will grow.
See our full guide on how to plant peas.
Conclusion
Peas prefer to grow in full sun, where they will sprout more quickly and grow faster.
They need at least 6 – 8 hours of sun a day.
Take care, though, that they don’t get too hot and wilt.
They will also grow in the shade.
