Sugar snap peas: planting & caring for the sugar snap peas

Sugar snap peas are a popular summer vegetable from your own garden. We will give you all the important tips to successfully cultivate sweet peas at home.

A few years ago were the classic wrinkled peas still the most popular pea variety. Today the crunchy and sweeter mangetout (Pisum sativum subsp. sativa convar. axiphium) as a consumer favorite. The exact origin of the sugar pea has not yet been clarified due to its long use, but it is assumed to be in India or North Africa. Sugar snap peas were already used as a source of protein and the basis of many dishes in ancient times.

Snow peas: origin and characteristics

Depending on the region, sugar snap peas are known by many names such as kefen, snow peas, snap peas, pine peas or mangetout. It belongs to the genus of garden peas (

Pisum sativum) and is therefore part of the papilionaceous plants (Faboideae), a subfamily of legumes (Fabaceae or Leguminosae). The sweet pea plant grows as an annual herbaceous plant that reproduces via the fruits that are formed in pods. It forms climbing or creeping bluish-green main shoots that can grow up to 1.5 meters long and are covered in foliage. In addition to the main shoot, several thin side shoots can be formed. The ovate leaves are usually entire and rarely toothed. As with garden peas, the inflorescence of the sugar pea consists of one to three flowers. The white sepals are usually bell-shaped and are decorated with a corolla. The approximately 10 cm long pods, each containing between four and ten round seeds, form from the fertilized flower.

In delicatessen shops in particular, the sugar snap pea pods often come from overseas and are transported to Germany by air freight. In the meantime, however, the vegetable is also being grown commercially in some areas of Germany with deep and nutrient-rich soil. In your own garden, the cultivation is also easily feasible with a little background knowledge.

plant snow peas

Sugar snap peas have hardly any special location requirements: deep soil in a sunny, airy location already provides the best conditions. On the other hand, very sandy and very heavy clay-rich or compacted soils are unsuitable. A humus-rich soil that can hold water well but does not tend to waterlogging is ideal. Compaction in the subsoil is not conducive to pea cultivation, because root rot can occur more easily here. Anyone who has been growing vegetables in the same bed for a long time can occasionally resort to the help of a soil activator, which promotes soil life and can increase the humus content. In this way, a good supply of nutrients to the plants is ensured and the soil is protected in the long term in order to ensure the cultivation of vegetables in the future. Our Plantura organic soil activator For example, the additional mycorrhizal fungi it contains is able to create a symbiosis between fungus and plant. Thus, the plant is supported in the water and phosphate supply. Due to the purely biological components and the absence of animal ingredients, our Plantura organic soil activator is also produced sustainably and is kind to the environment.

The sugar pea is one of the weak-consuming vegetables. Through a symbiosis with nodule bacteria, it absorbs fixed nitrogen, which it later introduces into the soil. Since sugar peas are poorly tolerated by themselves, there should be a break in cultivation of around four to six years before cultivating again on the same area. This prevents the transmission of foot and wilt diseases such as fusarium. A mixed culture cultivation is problem-free carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus), cabbage varieties (Brassicaceae), fennel (Foenicum vulgare), lettuce (Lactuca sativa) or radish (Raphanus sativus var. sativus) possible.

The best time for sowing sugar peas is between March and the beginning of April, as damage from longer periods of frost can no longer occur here. Sowing too late can result in a lower yield due to reduced flowering. In milder regions, sowing is usually possible from the beginning of March; the mangetout tolerates short frosts without any problems.

Sowing takes place directly in the bed, using a garden rake to make seed furrows about 3 to 5 cm deep in the loosened soil. Ideally, the grooves are aligned so that they run in a north-south direction. This ensures that the plants are evenly exposed to light and thus that the pods grow evenly. A row spacing of about 35 cm should be maintained between two grooves so that the mangetout plants have enough space for healthy growth. You can also set up a climbing aid in the intermediate area so that the plant can grow upwards. In this way, the sugar snap peas reach a height of up to 1.5 meters. Then the seeds can be placed in the groove at a distance of about 10 cm before it is closed and the soil is lightly pressed. Finally, the soil should be watered well to promote germination. After just one to two weeks, the snow peas begin to sprout.

tip: For sugar snap peas - as well as for other climbing crops - it is helpful to use a trellis. This increases yields and at the same time improves the quality of the peas. The sweet pea trellis allows light to reach all parts of the plant more evenly, allowing the fruit to grow and ripen better. It also makes harvesting easier because you can spot most of the pods at first glance and don't have to look for them.

Growing sweet peas at a glance:

1. Sow directly into the bed between the beginning of March and the beginning of April.
2. The sugar snap pea seeds should be planted about 3 - 5 cm deep in a seed drill. The distance between the grains is about 10 cm, the distance between the rows is about 35 cm.
3. At temperatures of 10 to 18 °C, sugar snap pea seeds germinate within one to two weeks.
4. A climbing aid improves yield and quality. In addition, the harvest is made easier.

In addition to the sugar pea, there are many other types of peas. Please also read our overview of new, tried and tested and resistant ones pea varieties.

Sugar snap pea care

During the vegetation, the maintenance effort for the sweet peas is moderate, especially if the site conditions are right. From sowing, even before germination, weeds should be raked once a week. In this way, there is no competition for nutrients and light between the snow peas and the weeds. As soon as the plants are about 15 cm tall, they start to suppress weeds by their own growth. Raking is only rarer, usually not necessary at all. In addition, the earth can now be heaped up around the young plants, which promotes lateral root formation and thus improves water and nutrient uptake. In addition, the plants can be guided in the direction of the climbing aid and attached to it with the first shoots. During growth, it is important to regularly guide the sugar snap peas further up the trellis so that all parts of the plant receive the same amount of light and can grow well.

The snow peas are not hardy. As annual, herbaceous plants, they die off in autumn and naturally sprout again in spring through the seeds from the pods.

Water and fertilize sugar snap peas

Thanks to its deep-reaching roots, the sugar pea is able to provide itself with plenty of water on its own. However, until the seeds germinate, it is important to keep the soil constantly moist to support initial growth. Regular watering is important in dry regions and during longer periods of drought in summer so that the plants do not dry out.

Sweet peas are legumes that live in symbiosis with so-called nodule bacteria. These nodule bacteria are able to fix nitrogen from the air, convert it into nitrate and thus make it available for the plants. If the soil conditions are healthy, further fertilization is not necessary during the entire vegetation period.

Cut sugar snap peas

A cut is not necessary for sugar snap peas. If growth becomes too sprawling, protruding shoots can easily be directed back to the climbing aid. They can also be cut off if necessary. You should regularly remove diseased or dry shoots and leaves.

Caring for sugar snap peas properly:

1. Initially, weeds should be kept small and raked.
2. Guide regularly along the trellis during growth so that all parts of the plant receive an even amount of light.
3. Sugar peas are legumes and live in symbiosis with nodule bacteria, which can bind nitrogen from the air. Additional fertilization is therefore not necessary.
4. If it is dry, it must be watered regularly.
5. The mangetout does not need to be cut.

Growing sugar snap peas in a pot

Sugar snap peas can also be planted in pots if you keep a few points in mind.

Due to their sensitivity to longer periods of cold, sugar snap peas should only be brought outside from mid-April, but they can be preferred indoors.
The pot should be large enough as the sugar pea develops a deep root system. A high-quality vegetable soil is suitable as a substrate, which ideally supplies the plant with nutrients due to its composition. Because of the loose structure of the soil, healthy root growth is also supported. Our Plantura organic tomato and vegetable soil, not only meets the requirements of the plant, it is also made from sustainable, organic materials and does not require any peat at all. The further procedure for sowing is the same as for bed sowing - only the sugar peas can be sown more densely with a distance of about five centimetres.

In the pot, it is important to ensure an even water supply, as the plants cannot access water from deeper layers of the earth.

Harvesting and storing sugar snap peas

Harvesting is usually possible from June when the pods are still light green and you can clearly see the peas inside from the outside.

To harvest the sweet peas, you can pluck the ripe pods from the plant and collect them. The pods should not be stored for too long, as after a day or two at the latest, the sugar they contain will increasingly turn into starch and the taste will change as a result. The freshly harvested sugar snap peas can be blanched briefly and then safely frozen in order to gently thaw them again at a later point in time. Overripe pods quickly lose their taste and quality.

Taste and use of sugar snap peas

As the name suggests, sugar snap peas taste much sweeter than other types of peas. You can already harvest young, not quite ripe pods. These are very good for eating the sugar snap peas raw. In contrast to wrinkled peas, sugar snap peas do not have a parchment layer inside the pod, which is why the pods can be eaten whole. Hence the name "Mangetout", taken from the French: The French "Mange tout" means "eat everything". The pods can also be cooked, fried or boiled very well.

tip: A cross between marrow peas and sugar peas, so-called “marrow sugar peas” or snap peas, is also popular. The pods can be eaten whole like sugar snap peas, while the kernels inside are larger and crunchy like marrow peas. Their taste is slightly sweet.

frequent pests and diseases on sugar snap peas

Fungal diseases and pests can occasionally cause problems for the plant. Damp, cool morning hours infestation with the powdery mildew favored. In contrast to other fungal diseases, this can also affect the plant during shorter leaf-wet phases, but it can also be dry and warm during the day. To prevent an infestation, it can help to grow the sweet peas in a spot that is already exposed to the sun in the morning and to water them in the morning instead of in the evening. Mildew-resistant varieties have been developed through breeding, which are used particularly in home gardens and in organic farming.
the Fusarium fungus is the second major antagonist that often affects legumes such as sweet peas. If the plant is infected with Fusarium, the leaves will first discolor slightly, then wither and eventually turn black. By considering a suitable crop rotation, you can prevent an infestation with the Fusarium fungus.

The pea moth is the only relevant animal pest on sugar peas. It mainly affects them between May and June, when the plants form the fruit pods. If the pest has already been sighted in your own or in the neighboring garden, you should use a protective net at all times to keep it away from the healthy plants.

Are you still looking for other exciting types of vegetables for your garden? Like, for example, the perennial sea ​​kale plant and care for, we will tell you here.