Looks like they want to grow up a trellis. They're growing fingers to grab stuff.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden adventure!

it is there, just a few inches above them, will they look beat up until they get to it?

should I lower it a bit?

There is something wrong in the photo. The peas look to be about a foot tall or less, the stage they should be at the last frost date for the area. Yet there is a mature marigold with blooms that must surely indicate a date 6 to 8 weeks after the last frost.

All this tells me the peas were planted way too late. Peas like it cool and soil temps are more critical than air temperature. The roots on the plants shown are not old enough to have the deep roots to the cooler depths that would sustain them for warm weather. They're doomed. Might as well pull them and use the space for something else.

this thought had crossed my mind.... they are about 9" tall

the Marigolds weren't started from seed but they are growing well... the peas were... I planted everything late april..... I think I will give them a few more weeks, adjust the trellis so they can grab it, and see what happens... Next year I wont be doing the building.. I can get them in when they should be going in, a bit earlier..

Carsonsig, my pea plants look about the same as yours, and I planted my seeds in the ground outside on March 20th. We had a real hot wave for about a week, and they weren't looking so good; we're now back to cooler temperatures and rain, and the pea plants are looking better, though their growth isn't anywhere near where they should be. If mine don't grow much in the next two weeks or so, I'm going to pull mine out, too.

I think pls8 has it-I also think that trellis needs to be a lot lower to the ground so those things can grab and grow. I am growing sugar snaps this year for the first time, and I probably planted a couple of weeks late. But, they are strong, green, and climbing up the string like crazy. Give it a little more time to see what happens. If they don't improve, you might have to chalk this one up for experience-not too bad of a thing!....

I lowered the trellis, and moved it forward in the bed at the bottom.... most of them can touch it now.... so yeah, by the book they should have been planted earlier, but I hadn't built the box yet....

worst case they get yanked and I plant some greens or radish, and next year... they will go in earlier!!!

thats good, but, if its too warm to plant peas, its going to be too warm to plant radishes as well...

yeah

maybe I will find a starter climber and put up another to join my watermelon, honeydew and beans!

I am zone 9 as well, and mine are 6 feet tall and starting to look like yours--- it's the end of the season for peas! :( boo hoo!

Plant them in the fall for a winter garden if you stay warm (we do), or in Jan or Feb--- as early as you can. They love it cool and start to fade late May.

Bummer. Don't be sad though, every experience is a LEARNING OPPORTUNITY, and your peas will kick but next year! ;)

DANG!!!

thanks arwmommy... I put them in ASAP, when the box was done, but they were just too slow... oh well.. I will put in a fall crop once it starts cooling off... we will see... I am going to go to the garden store today and see if they have a started climbing something to try out... or else it is greens....

I see there is more to this story. I put peas out in early April in Chicago but these were spouts. That generally fits March 17 direct sowing. It does not do much good to have peas take 2 weeks and or rot in the ground by directly sowing them to germinate when one is trying to be space efficient some are 3 feet and fruiting now.
Also don't do Mel's sun warmed water. Use cold water. Wet mulch is also probably going to keep soil cooler as well.

Fall peas are certainly an option. I tried them a little too late last year but those vines took 27 overnight lows. They are cold loving for sure.