Sugar snap peas are cool-seasoned legumes from the Fabaceae family, which includes beans, chickpeas, and lentils. They are known for their edible pods and seeds. These peas are believed to have originated in Central Asia, and carbon-dated peas dating back to around 9750 BC have been found between Thailand and Burma.
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Growing Green Beans in Containers
Often called sugar peas or snow peas, sugar snap peas have a great taste and texture. Home-grown sugar snap peas are sweeter and juicier than those bought in the shop. They grow well in containers, especially in large pots, and must be regularly watered and fed. They prefer a sheltered spot with full sun or partial sun exposure, and planting sowings at intervals can help extend the harvesting period.
Nutritional Information & Health Benefits
Humans have been consuming sugar snap peas for thousands of years, originally eaten straight from the pod. One serving of these peas provides as much vitamin C as two large apples and more fiber than a slice of wholemeal bread. Vitamin B1 helps turn food into energy, supporting the nervous system. These peas are also packed with lutein and zeaxanthin, both essential for eye health, and coumestrol, which aids digestion. In addition, they provide a good amount of vitamins E, zinc, catechin, and epicatechin, all of which help control blood sugar and contribute to good heart health.
When to Plant Sugar Snap Peas
Sugar snap peas are perfect for growing when the weather is cooling down, making them ideal for fall and spring planting. If you’re in a temperate climate, you can even grow them throughout the winter. These peas thrive in temps between 45 to 65 degrees. Sugar snap peas are typically planted in places like Australia during February, March, April, and May. They are considered one of the easiest vegetables to grow and are delicious, whether raw or cooked. While stems and foliage are resilient to frost, they can still suffer damage if a cold snap follows a period of warm weather.
Choose the right variety for you
When choosing the right sugar snap peas variety for your garden, consider factors like weather, space, and your taste preferences. For cool-weather gardening, you’ll want to pick varieties that thrive in chilly temperatures or frost. If you live in a warm spring zone, choose a variety that can handle those conditions while providing a good crop. Some varieties balance sweetness levels and texture, while others may be stringless for easier eating.
Dwarf Variety: Sugar Daddy Peas
The sugar daddy peas are a great choice if you’re looking for a self-supporting sugar snap pea variety. These short plants typically grow between 24 and 30 inches tall, making them ideal for containers or smaller spaces. They don’t require vertical support, which makes them easy to develop and maintain.
Vining Variety: Pole Peas
For a more traditional growing experience, consider choosing a vining variety such as pole peas. Like a trellis, these peas need vertical support as they can grow 6 to 8 feet tall. Pole peas provide a high production of pods and require more space to climb. These indeterminate plants will keep growing and producing beans throughout the season.
Hybrid Variety: Snow Peas and Field Peas
Hybrid varieties, such as snow peas and field peas, combine the best features of different pea types. They may have the sweetness of field peas and the mange tout qualities of snow peas. These varieties are excellent for gardeners looking for good taste, texture, and productivity.
Planting out sugar snap peas
Start seeds indoors: In March, sow sugar snap pea seeds in small pots or cells indoors. This helps protect young plants from pests like slugs, snails, and pigeons.
Prepare the soil: Fill the pots with compost, leaving a gap of 2-3 cm from the top. Plant 3-4 seeds per pot, ensuring they don’t touch each other.
Water regularly: Keep the seeds well watered until they grow to 12-15 cm tall, then transplant them into your garden.
Sow outdoors: Prepare the soil using a garden rake, removing weeds and clumps. Make holes about 2-3 cm deep for each pea seed and water the holes before planting.
Add support: For vining varieties, use a mesh, tepee, cane, or chicken wire for support. This will help the young plants climb and grow.
Monitor watering: Do not overwater your peas. Keep the soil moist, but avoid waterlogging, especially during hot, dry periods.
Fertilize: Use a balanced fertilizer or side dressing of compost to ensure the plants have enough nitrogen.
Provide vertical support: Set up a trellis, fence, or vertical netting for the plants to climb. Vining varieties will use their tendrils to climb the support.
Harvest: Once the pods are plump, snap them off. Please don’t wait too long, or they may become stringy and tough. Regular harvesting will keep your plants producing throughout the season.
Common Pests and Diseases
Sugar snap peas can face several pests and diseases, which are best prevented rather than treated once they occur. Powdery mildew is a common disease that thrives in hot, dry weather, especially if the plants are not well watered. To prevent this, avoid touching leaves with water, and consider planting resistant cultivars like Sugar Lace or Super Snappy, which offer better resistance to powdery mildew.
Mice can also be a problem, as they may eat seeds of freshly planted peas, leaving stalks scattered on the soil’s surface. To avoid this, start the plants inside and move outside once they are strong enough to fend off such culprits.
Slugs and snails can target the green part of your sugar snap peas, leaving behind shiny trails. Regularly inspect your plants and remove these pests by hand, or use natural deterrents. Pigeons can also damage your crop by nibbling on the leafy foliage, stunting growth and preventing the pods from developing. Using secure netting around the plants and hanging shiny items nearby can help deter the pigeons from landing and causing damage.
Harvesting and Storing
Sugar snap peas are ready to harvest in about 60-70 days after planting, depending on the variety. When the pods are plump and bright green, and the seeds inside have reached a good size, it’s time to pick them. If you’re growing a purple variety, look for the same signs but with a beautiful purple hue. To encourage continued pod production, harvest regularly, as healthy plants will keep producing until the summer heat starts to halt growth.
After picking, it’s best to eat fresh sugar snap peas soon for maximum sweetness. If you need to store them, place them in the fridge, specifically in the salad drawer, to keep them fresh. You can enjoy them whole, sliced, and washed, uncooked in salads. They pair well with salad leaves, pak choi, radish, baby carrots, and spring onions.
For mature pods, they are better cooked before eating. Try adding them to stir-fries with noodles and broccoli or as a side dish with new potatoes and quiche. To freeze sugar snap peas for later cooking, first blanche them by adding whole pods to boiling water for two minutes, then drain and quickly place them into ice-cold water. Once cooled, store them in the freezer and use them in pasta dishes or risotto.
Final Observations
Sugar snap peas are a delicious and nutritious vegetable packed with vitamin C, fibre, and B1, which help boost the nervous system and provide energy. These peas are also rich in lutein, zeaxanthin, and coumestrol, supporting eye health and aiding digestion. With their sweet flavour and crunchy texture, they are a great addition to your meals, contribute to heart health, and help control blood sugar. Easy to grow and harvest, sugar snap peas are perfect for anyone looking for a healthy and tasty garden crop.
FAQs
Q- How do you plant sugar snap peas?
Plant sugar snap peas by sowing seeds 1-2 inches deep in well-drained soil, spaced about 2-4 inches apart. Start indoors in early spring or sow directly outdoors after the last frost.
Q- Do sugar snap peas like full sun or shade?
Sugar snap peas prefer full sun but can tolerate partial shade, especially during the hottest day.
Q- How many sugar snap peas will one plant produce?
One sugar snap pea plant can produce several pods, each containing 5-10 peas. The total yield will depend on the plant variety and growing conditions.
Q- Do sugar snap peas need to climb?
Sugar snap peas are vining plants that need vertical support, such as a trellis, to climb as they grow.
