Sugar snap peas score top marks for taste and texture. As with so many crops, home-grown sugar snaps are much sweeter and juicier than anything you can buy in a shop. You can grow them in large containers as well as in beds, as long as they’re kept well watered. A fairly sheltered spot in full or part sun will suit them best. It’s a good idea to make several sowings at two or three week intervals, to increase the potential harvesting period.
You Will Need
- Sugar snap pea seeds
- Multi-purpose, peat-free compost
- Small pots
- Canes
- Chicken wire
Step 1
For early crops, sow seed indoors now in pots or cells. Transplant into the garden when the seedlings are about 12-15cm high. This helps reduce damage from slugs, snails and pigeons.
Step 2
When weather is warmer, sow every two to three weeks directly into well-prepared soil, 5cm deep. A flat trench, dug in a line or a circle, works well.
Step 3
Where space is at a premium, growing plants in a circle allows them to be trained up a tepee of cane and chicken wire mesh. The mesh keeps young plants close to the supports, making it easier for them to climb, and keeps the pigeons away.
Step 4
Sugar snap peas become stringy and tough if left too long, so pick as soon as they start to plump up and make a satisfying snap when bent. Hold the stem as you remove each pod to reduce the risk of damage to the plant.
Water regularly as peas need a moist soil if they are to produce a heavy crop. In a drier garden, you should consider mulching the soil to conserve moisture.
