🌱 Desiree Purple‑Podded Pea Seeds | Early Half‑Tall Variety | Sweet Green Peas in Deep Purple Pods

Desiree is an early round‑seeded pea that produces compact, half‑tall plants around 70–80 cm high, easy to support with a low net or pea sticks. The pods are a rich, dark purple‑violet, straight and around 7–9 cm long, each typically holding 7–8 bright green peas.​
The peas have a sweet, pleasant flavour and a tender texture, ideal for eating straight from the pod, adding to salads or using as a colourful cooked vegetable. The contrast between purple pods and green peas makes this variety a real eye‑catcher in the garden and a fun choice for children and kitchen gardeners.​

Growing information

🌱 Sowing

• Sow direct in open ground in double or single rows, about 3–5 cm apart in the row.

• Use cool seasons for sowing: in mild climates peas are often sown from late winter through spring, and again in late summer for an autumn crop.​

☀️ Light

• Grows best in full sun, but will tolerate light partial shade, especially in warmer regions.​

💧 Watering

• Keep the soil evenly moist during germination and early growth, and water in dry spells while pods are filling.

• Avoid waterlogging, as peas dislike heavy, saturated soils.​

🌡️ Germination

• Germination is usually quick in cool, moist soil suited to peas; they prefer moderate temperatures rather than heat.​

📏 Spacing & support

• Space seeds 3–5 cm apart in rows, with roughly 50–60 cm between rows, and provide a low support around 80 cm tall.​

• Plants reach around 70–80 cm and benefit from a simple mesh fence or string netting to keep pods off the ground.​

Bullet Technical Data

• 🌱 Sowing depth: about 3–4 cm​

• 📅 Sow: from March to June in open ground, with the main sowing period in spring; in mild, sheltered gardens you can try an extra early sowing from late February, and a late sowing in July for a small autumn crop

• ☀️ Light: full sun, with some tolerance of light shade​

• 🌡️ Germination: in cool, moist soil at typical pea‑growing temperatures​

• 📏 Height: approx. 70–80 cm, half‑tall habit​

• 🪴 Spacing: 3–5 cm in the row; 50–60 cm between rows​

• ⏳ Harvest: early variety; pods usually ready from around 60–70 days after sowing, depending on sowing date and conditions​

• 🔢 Seeds: approx. standard packet

Tips & Tricks

• Install a short support before plants reach 15–20 cm so the tendrils can climb easily and pods stay clean.​

• Pick pods regularly once they start to fill; this keeps plants cropping and peas at their sweetest and most tender.​

• The purple pods keep their colour best when used fresh or lightly cooked; longer boiling will dull the colour, so use a quick steam or stir‑fry if you want them vivid on the plate.​

Garden‑to‑Table Recipe

Warm Desiree Pea & Mint Salad (Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 400 g Desiree peas (shelled)

• 1 small red onion, finely sliced

• 2 tbsp extra‑virgin olive oil

• Juice of ½ lemon

• A small handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped

• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the peas and cook for 2–3 minutes until just tender, then drain.

2. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl, then add the warm peas and sliced onion.

3. Toss gently, fold in the mint and serve warm or at room temperature as a simple side or light lunch.