Mangetout & sugar snap
Deliciously sweet and tender, these peas are picked and eaten pod and all. Quick to grow and highly productive, they're perfect for stir-fries or eating raw straight from the plant.
Mangetout & sugar snap seeds
£2.49 in the shop
Calendar
Sow
March – June, directly into prepared soil. Sow in succession for a continuous harvest.
Plant out
Not transplanted. Thin seedlings to 5-10cm apart.
Harvest
June – September, 10-12 weeks from sowing.
Conditions
Sun
Full sun, 6–8 hours a day.
Water
Keep consistently moist, especially during flowering and pod development.
Soil
Well-drained, fertile soil, pH 6.0–7.5. Add compost or well-rotted manure.
Spacing
5-10cm between plants, 60cm between rows. Provide support.
Containers
Yes, in deep pots (at least 20cm) with a suitable climbing support.
Indoors
Can be started indoors in modules in February for an earlier crop, then planted out carefully.
Care and harvest
Feeding
Generally not needed if soil is fertile. Too much nitrogen encourages leafy growth over pods.
Pruning
Pinch out growing tips if plants become too tall or to encourage bushiness (though most varieties are self-regulating).
Harvesting
Pick regularly when pods are young, tender, and flat (mangetout) or plump but not swollen (sugar snap). Snip or twist off carefully.
Storage
Eat fresh for best flavour. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Can be blanched and frozen.
Good companions: Carrots, Lettuce, Turnips, Cabbage, Radishes