Tom Thumb Pea
Historic Variety
- Plants grow to 8 inches
- Good for container gardening
- Able to withstand hard frosts
- Shelling pea
- 50-55 days
- ±2,000 seeds/lb
Item Details
At 8" tall, this aptly named dwarf pea is ideal for container gardening and is very frost-tolerant. Originating in England and introduced in the United States in the mid-19th century, there were several strains of this variety; over time, further reductions in height and time to maturity were achieved, leading to the pea we know as Tom Thumb today. Shell, 50-55 days.±2,000 seeds/lb.
Learn to Grow Tom Thumb Pea
Direct Seed: 2" Apart
Seed Depth: 1/2-1"
Germination: 7-14 Days
Light: Full Sun
Instructions - Peas thrive in cool weather. Sow seeds outdoors as soon as soil can be worked in spring. In addition to containers, Tom Thumb is good for cold-frame production and for planting in flower borders.
Ratings & Reviews
2 reviews
Adorable and tasty
by MK
I planted these in zone 6b (St. Louis, MO) in late winter/very early spring of this year and was delighted by how cute and carefree these little plants are. Each plant produced about 4-5 pods. The peas are delicious, the pods are edible but stringy. I will definitely grow again next year.
Low production
by Nicci
I will not grow these again. They are very low producing compared to the Amish Snap - Maybe 15 pods between the two (zone 6). It was only enough for about 1 serving. Amish Snap Peas taste better and are heavy producers. I wanted shell peas and these just don't measure up.
Seed Savers Response: Hi Nicci, I’m sorry to hear this variety didn’t do well in your garden. Please reach out to our customer service team for variety and planting suggestions and tips.