Growing Guide: Sugar Snap Peas

Preparation

Remove all weeds and trash from the planting area.
Till the soil 8 to 10 inches deep and rake it several times to break up the large dirt clods.
Work the garden soil only when it is dry

Growing sugar snap peas is best when the temperature is 45F (7C) or higher.
Peas are a cool-season vegetable and can tolerate light frosts even when the plants are small.
Peas can be sown in the spring or fall.
Plant your snap peas seeds 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep and 1 inch apart, with 18 to 24 inches between pairs of plants or rows.
Mulch around the plants , which will prevent the soil from getting too hot in summer. Mulching also prevents moisture from building up around the roots during a rainfall. Too much sunshine can burn the plants, and too much water can rot the roots.

Pay close attention to the pods and pick when they are swollen. This stage is usually reached 5 to 7 days after flowering.
Don’t wait too long because the peas can become tough. Growers find that sampling the peas throughout the growing season helps with determining when to harvest.
Remove overgrown pods that you missed earlier to keep the plant blooming and producing longer.

Peas (unlike beans) do not open when they are ripe or have a membrane in the pod; they are meant to be harvested and eaten with both pods and peas.
Crunchy pods are delicious and can be plucked and eaten straight from the vine.
Sugar snap peas are great in salads while raw, or in stir fries with other vegetables!
The pods can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.