Requires a well-drained moisture retentive soil. Prefers a calcareous soil. Prefers a pH in the range 6 to 7.5. Prefers a rich loamy soil. A light soil and a sheltered position is best for early sowings. Peas have long been cultivated as a food crop and a number of distinct forms have emerged. This is the original form of the species and is still found growing wild in Turkey. Peas are good growing companions for radishes, carrots, cucumbers, sweet corn, beans and turnips. They are inhibited by alliums, gladiolus, fennel and strawberries growing nearby. There is some evidence that if Chinese mustard (Brassica juncea) is grown as a green manure before sowing peas this will reduce the incidence of soil-borne root rots. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.

Seed - cooked or sprouted and eaten raw. A good source of protein. The seeds of this sub-species tend to be of poorer quality than the species, being less rich in sugars. They also develop a hard seed coat as they mature which makes them less desirable for culinary use. Young leaves - cooked.

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and sow it in situ from early to late spring. Germination should take place within 2 weeks.

Plants are not known in a genuinely wild condition.