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How to Grow and Care for Snap Peas

sugar snap peas
Snap peas are plump and sweet.
​Snap peas (sometimes called sugar snap peas) are plump and juicy and can be eaten, pod and all. Although they are similar to snow peas, they really aren't the same. Snow peas are broad and flat and harvested with the peas first begin to form and used in stir-fries. Snap peas, on the other hand, have edible pods - but the peas are allowed to develop inside the pod before harvesting. These tender pods release a burst of flavor with every bite and are served raw as a tasty snack, cooked in stir-fries, or steamed and served in the pod. 

How to Plant Sugar Snap Peas

Plant Peas in Full Sun

Snap peas, like other peas, require 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Some mistakenly assume that because peas prefer cool soil, they also like shade. This simply isn't true. The secret to growing healthy snap peas is to plant them in the sun in early spring before hot weather hits. 
​

Amend the Soil

Snap peas prefer organic-rich, well-drained soil. Till the soil to a depth of 8 to 12 inches and amend it with generous amounts of organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure. A 2- to 3-inch layer worked into the top 6 inches typically does the trick. ​

Fertilizing Peas

Apply starter fertilizer before planting, following the recommended application rate. Either 5-10-10 or 10-10-10 is fine unless your soil test indicates other needs. Work it into the soil well to avoid injury to young roots or seeds.

​Side dress the peas when they are 4 inches tall by sprinkling a band of fertilizer along the rows, 4 inches from the base of the plants. Work it into the top 2 to 4 inches of the soil with a garden hoe. 

Planting Peas

Plant snap peas in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Soak the seeds overnight in tepid water to speed germination. Pea seeds swell to twice their size as they take in moisture, so allow plenty of room in the bowl or bucket when soaking them. Plant seeds to a depth of 1 inch and cover them with soil. Burpee Seed recommends a depth of two inches, but I find this is too deep for my Maine soil. Space seeds 2 to 4 inches apart in rows. ​

Erect Trellises or Fences

 Some snap pea varieties reach a height of 5 feet or more, while some dwarf varieties grow 18 to 24 inches tall. Tall varieties require a trellis or fence for support, while dwarf varieties require little support. For best results, erect fences and other supports before planting the peas. ​

Watering Peas

Water snap peas deeply once or twice a week, depending on the weather and soil conditions. It is time to water your peas if the soil feels dry one inch below the surface. ​

Harvesting Snap Peas

Harvest snap peas when the peas have filled out inside the pod - but before they become overgrown. Serve raw as a snack, cook in stir-fries or steam and serve snap peas in the pod. 
​
Copyright © 2014 Nannette Richford



  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • About Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • How to Grow a Pomato Plant
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
        • Turnips vs Rutabagas
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
  • Garden Pests
    • How to Control Japanese Beetles
    • How to Control Blister Beetles
    • How to Get Rid of Colorado Potato Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables