Growing Sugar Snap Peas – Tips on How to Grow Sugar Snap Peas
There are few vegetables that are as loved as sugar snap peas. The kids may disappear all spring when it’s time to work in the garden, but when it’s time to harvest the sugar snap peas, you’ll have all the help you need, and you’ll be lucky to get some sugar snap peas in the house, as they don’t need to be shelled to be eaten, and taste great uncooked. And, growing sugar snap peas is not hard, so here are a few tips on how to grow sugar snap peas to get you going.
Like most peas, sugar snaps are a cool weather crop. The best time for planting is early, 2-4 weeks before the last frost date, or alternatively 6-8 weeks before the first frost date in the fall.
You need to decide which variety you are planting, as the original Sugar Snaps are a vine, growing to 6ft tall at times, and definitely need some type of support, even if it’s a large tomato cage or a trellis. The bush varieties like Sugar Daddy and Sugar Ann can be grown without support, and will tend to mature more quickly, but the harvest is shorter in time and overall less productive per square foot of garden.
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When peas are planted in a new garden, you might increase yields by inoculating with nitrogen-fixing bacteria you may find at most garden stores. In an established garden, this is probably unnecessary. Because peas fix nitrogen in the soil, they need a fertilizer with little nitrogen. They don’t need a lot of fertilizer. A single application of a slow release or organic fertilizer at planting time will suffice.
Plant the seeds 1/2 to 1 inch down, about 1.5-2 inches apart. These peas can be planted in rows, or they work well in more intensive techniques like wide row or raised garden beds as well. Water requirement is about 1 inch a week.
Unlike regular snap peas that are often harvested before the peas mature and are eaten mainly as flat pods, sugar sanps are allowed to develop peas in the pod. Harvest the Sugar Snaps when the seeds in the pod are plump, but don’t let them go too long. Snap peas that have gone past maturity will become starchy in taste and don’t taste nearly as good as those in their prime. Pick them and store them or freeze them quickly, as the sugars will be turned to starch if they are left on the vine or even stored at room temperature.
Filed under Growing Vegetables by John
Comments on Growing Sugar Snap Peas – Tips on How to Grow Sugar Snap Peas »
stanley fishman @ 7:54 pm
Can you please tell me if snap peas grow on a bush or only in a vine thank you kindley and if you have seed that grow in a bush i would like to buy several packeges thank you waiting for your repey stanley a BROOKLYN FARMER
John @ 9:27 am
The original Sugar Snap peas are a climbing vine, but other varieties that are similar grow as a bush pea. Examples are Sugar Ann and Sugar Daddy. Check with your seed vendor and the label to see the growth habit.
Betsy Trusel @ 7:16 pm
My pea plants look very healthy. My concern is that there are no flowers on them. Is that normal? I think I could have put them earlier, but am new to this. Please let me know what to expect from them .
Spokane, WA @ 7:45 pm
Do sugar snap pea plants yield more than once?
John @ 7:46 am
Generally sugar snap peas will have just one harvest.
Katie @ 8:33 pm
How big should my peas be before I harvest them??
jane @ 3:46 am
My peas have no flowers but are very healthy
Mandy @ 6:01 pm
My plants are also very healthy and I planted them atleast three months ago with all my other plants. But they still have no flowers on them. What is wrong with them??? All my other plants have been producing for the last month and a half.
C. Ma @ 9:28 pm
As my peas grow taller, the bottom of the stalk turns brown and dry while the top half is green.. but then as it continues to grow, the leaves have a whitish color on them and the stalk and sometimes beans develop black spots on them. A friend said that its a fungus. Is that true? If so what can I do to prevent it? Thank you!
John @ 12:28 pm
Hard to say without knowing more about your situation, but often when plants have healthy green growth and no vegetables or fruit then the problem is that there is too much nitrogen in the fertilizer or a shortage of potassium in the soil. Try a soil check to see if there is an imbalance in your nutrient levels.
wycliff @ 4:39 am
try to do soil test and check for pottassium levels.lack of flowers can be brought about by too much N, therefore reduce the N levels and apply fertilizers rich in K, but this is subject to results obtained from soil test.
wycliff @ 4:42 am
those are symptoms of fungal infections. it is better if you do rotation with crops that are of a different familt like maize/corn sweet potatoest.
wycliff @ 4:45 am
that depends on several factors but generally, if it is sugar snaps, you can harvest them when they are about 5cm long ang 1.5-2cm thick, and for snow peas, harvest when they are 6_8cm long.
wycliff @ 4:46 am
yes they do. you can harvest for a duration of six weeks, with two or three harvests every week.
wycliff @ 4:48 am
how do i control green and black spots in snow peas and sugar snaps?
Scott @ 1:37 pm
What is the best fertilizer to use to make the most of sugar snaps? I lyme everything first and add comercial grade fertilizer. Keep the nitrogen low I hear.
AND,,, here in eastern North Carolina, when is best time to plant??
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John @ 1:16 pm
Sorry I’m late to reply. Hope your project went well. In my household, we can’t even get the sugar snap peas into the house; they are usually eaten right off the plant!