How to grow Peas (Sugar Snap)
in the UK

Sugar snap peas are a cracking choice for any plot, honestly, dead easy to grow and proper rewarding. You get loads of sweet, crunchy pods that taste miles better than anything from the shop, fresh off the plant. They do need a bit of space upwards, mind.

Sowing

You can sow your sugar snap peas from March right through to June here in the UK. I usually start mine direct in the soil on the allotment, about 2-3 cm deep and 5 cm apart in a double row, leaving about 15 cm between the rows. If the weather's still a bit nippy in March, you could start a few indoors in modules or guttering on the windowsill, then plant them out when they're a few cm tall after the last frost – that’s usually mid to late May up here in the North. Sow a batch every couple of weeks for a steady supply all summer, you know what I mean.

Growing on

If you've bought plug plants or started them indoors, make sure to harden them off gradually over a week or so before planting out on the plot. Peas need good support to climb up, so get some netting, pea sticks, or a trellis in place as soon as they start to put on some growth. Give them a bit of room, about 10-15 cm between plants, especially the taller varieties. Dwarf types can even do well in decent-sized containers on a patio, if that's your thing.

Looking after it

Once your peas are growing away, they're not too much bother, to be honest. Keep them watered, especially when they're flowering and the pods are forming, otherwise, they might not fill out properly. A bit of compost around the base can help keep the soil moist and give them a gentle feed. I don't usually bother with pinching out, just let them get on with it.

What goes wrong

The main things to watch out for on the plot are pea moths, which can lay eggs that turn into grubs inside the pods, and aphids. For pea moths, fine mesh netting over your plants can stop them. Aphids are usually dealt with by a good blast of water from the hose or squishing them with your fingers – grim, but effective. Slugs can have a go at the young seedlings too, so keep an eye out.

Harvest

You'll be harvesting your sugar snaps from about 70 days after sowing, usually starting in June right through to September. Pick them when the pods are plump and crunchy, but before they get too big and start to split open. The more you pick, the more they'll produce, so keep at it. They're best eaten fresh, straight from the plant, but they freeze really well too for winter use.