Quick Garden Tips
- Bush and pole snap peas are easy to grow – great for beginning gardeners. Bush types grow to about 3 feet high. Pole types grow 6 to 8 feet high and will need a trellis for support.
- Plant seeds 1 inch deep.
- Space 2 to 4 inches apart in rows.
- Do not use high-nitrogen fertilizers. Too much nitrogen will result in lush foliage but poor flowering and fruiting. Adding rhizobia bacteria to your soil may help if you have not grown peas there before
Season and Location
- Snap peas grow best in cool soil, and full sun. Growing snap peas in larger containers (5 gallons or larger) will help keep the soil from overheating.
- Plant in full sun for the highest yield, but snap peas can live with part shade.
- Plant in soil with good drainage.
Container Gardening
- Snap peas grow best in cool soil, and full sun. Growing snap peas in larger containers (5 gallons or larger) will help keep the soil from overheating.
- Plants need about 4 inches of space around them when growing.
- Make sure your container has small holes near the bottom to allow water to drain; otherwise, the roots may become water-logged.
Key Pests and Diseases
- Snap pea seedlings may get seedling root rot if the soil is too wet. Slugs, aphids, and birds can also cause damage.
When to Plant and Harvest Snap Peas in Oregon
- Central/Eastern: Plant seeds late April through late May to harvest mid-June through early July.
- Willamette Valley: Plant seeds February through April to harvest April through mid-August. Plant again August through early September to harvest September through October.
- Coast: Plant seeds January through July to harvest March through mid-November.
Recommended Types to Grow
- Bush: Sugar Daddy, Super Snappy, Cascadia (disease-resistant), Sugar Sprint, Sugar Ann
- Pole: Sugar Snap, Super Sugar Snap (plant early to avoid disease)
When and How to Harvest
- Harvest when the pods feel full and are about as thick as your little finger. The pod should snap when you break it in half.
- Hold the plant stalk with one hand and the pea pod with the other, close to where it attaches to the plant. Gently pull the pod free of the plant. Take care to avoid ripping either the pod or the stalk.
Storage and Cooking
- Refrigerate peas soon after picking. Store in a container with air flow and plan to use within 5 days. Rinse peas under running water just before using.
- Eat the plump pods and peas together.
- Enjoy the peas raw as a snack or tossed into salads.
- Blanch the peas and add them to pasta dishes or freeze.
- Try this Food Hero recipe: Roasted Sugar Snap Peas