Published: Thursday, 12 May 2022 at 3:00 pm
Find out how to grow a delicious crop of sugar-snap peas, in our practical guide.
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Sugar snap peas, also known as sugar peas and snow peas, score top marks for taste and texture. As with so many crops, home-grown sugar snap peas are much sweeter and juicier than anything you can buy in a shop. Growing sugar snap peas in containers is easy as long as the pots are large and you water and feed the peas regularly. A fairly sheltered spot in full or part sun will suit them best. It's a good idea to make several sowings at two or three week intervals, to increase the potential harvesting period.
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You Will Need
- Sugar snap pea seeds
- Multi-purpose, peat-free compost
- Small pots
- Canes
- Chicken wire
Step 1
For early crops, sow sugar snap pea seeds indoors in March in pots or cells. Transplant into the garden when the seedlings are about 12-15cm high. This helps reduce damage from slugs, snails and pigeons.
Step 2
![How to grow sugar snap peas (2) How to grow sugar snap peas (2)](https://i0.wp.com/images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/10/2018/02/23ddbf63-9c40-470c-a683-1b6c58dbfcf4-03de283.jpg?quality=90&fit=700,466)
When weather is warmer, sow every two to three weeks directly into well-prepared soil, 5cm deep. A flat trench, dug in a line or a circle, works well.
Step 3
![How to grow sugar snap peas (3) How to grow sugar snap peas (3)](https://i0.wp.com/images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/10/2018/02/bd167539-7b63-4bf9-8fec-f4b17ef67a35-db575c0.jpg?quality=90&fit=700,466)
Where space is at a premium, growing sugar snap pea plants in a circle allows them to be trained up a tepee of cane and chicken wire mesh. The mesh keeps young plants close to the supports, making it easier for them to climb, and keeps the pigeons away.
Step 4
![How to grow sugar snap peas (4) How to grow sugar snap peas (4)](https://i0.wp.com/images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/10/2018/02/045f482b-56a4-40be-8383-05bd2330e2ae-66bfb9b.jpg?quality=90&fit=700,466)
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Sugar snap peas become stringy and tough if left too long, so pick as soon as they start to plump up and make a satisfying snap when bent. Hold the stem as you remove each pod to reduce the risk of damage to the plant.
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Water regularly as peas need a moist soil if they are to produce a heavy crop. In a drier garden, you should consider mulching the soil to conserve moisture.
![How to grow sugar snap peas (5) How to grow sugar snap peas (5)](https://i0.wp.com/images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/10/2018/03/CUT-OUT-1024X1024-seedlings-GettyImages-173578300-89517fd.png?quality=90&resize=767,697)