Grow Snow Peas
Snow peas, or sugar peas grow best in cooler weather. If you live in an area with a cold winter, you can plant snow peas in early spring, as soon as you can work the soil. Learn how to grow snow peas by directly planting the seeds into the ground, and then wait a few weeks to enjoy your harvest.
Steps
- Work compost into the soil. Add about 3 inches (7.62 cm) of compost for every 100 square feet (30.48 square m) of land. Potting mix has fertilizer built in, so you will not need to add compost to it.
- Push a fingertip about 1 inch (2.54 cm) deep into the soil. Make as many 1 inch (2.54 cm) holes as snow pea seeds you plan on planting. Space each hole 2 inches (5.08 cm) apart.
- Drop a single seed into each hole, and cover with more potting mix or topsoil.
- If you are growing snow peas in the ground in rows, space each row 18 inches (45.7 cm) apart so that the peas have plenty of room to grow.
- Water the seeds and soil to help the snow peas germinate.
- Push a stake or trellis into the ground next to the seeds if you are growing a variety that grows very tall, such as Oregon Giant. Dwarf varieties, such as Snowbird or Dwarf Gray Sugar, only reach about 24 inches (.61 m) in height and do not need stakes or support. Look at the seed packet to determine what variety of sugar pea you're planting.
- Remove any weeds by-hand if they appear near your snow peas, especially when the peas are very young. You don't want to risk hurting the peas' roots by using a hoe or digging too deeply.
- Water the growing snow peas regularly. Aim the water at the soil, not the leaves, to prevent any fungal infections from forming and spreading.
- Wait until the top 3 inches (7.62 cm) of soil have dried before watering again. Too much water can cause the roots to rot and inhibits the growth of the plant.
- You may notice that the sugar peas need more water right when they begin to produce flowers. It's okay to increase the amount you water at this point to encourage healthy fruit production.
- Add a layer of mulch, such as grass clippings or shredded paper to the top of the soil. This locks in moisture and protects the plants from heat as the weather warms up.
- Pick snow pea pods after the pod has reached a length of between 2 to 3 inches (5.08 to 7.62 cm). The seeds inside the pod will still be flat and not rounded like garden peas.
- Pods are usually ready to pick 1 week after the pea plant has produced flowers.
- Once the snow pea plant has begun to produce pods, pick them at least every other day for the best taste and texture. Pods left on the plant too long become stringy. Remove pods regularly to encourage the plant to produce more blossoms and pods.
- If you do miss a pod or two and the seeds inside become large, use them as you would garden peas. Don't eat the outer pod on overly mature snow peas, as it will be stringy and tough.
Tips
- You may not need to add fertilizer after the peas are planted. Only add a small handful of compost to the top layer of soil if the pea plants are yellow or not producing flowers at the expected rate.
- Try planting snow peas in the late summer for a fall harvest. Find the date of the last frost in your area, and count backwards 70 days from it to find the last date you can plant snow peas for fall.
- Most varieties of snow pea take between 58 to 72 days to reach harvest.
Things You'll Need
- Snow peas seeds
- Compost
- Topsoil or potting mix
- Shovel
- Water
- Watering can or hose
- Stakes or trellis (optional)
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