GROWING PEAS

• Peas only grow well in cool weather. As soon as the weather warms, the vines will turn yellow and stop producing.

• Most snap or snow peas can be grown in containers, but they will always be more productive when planted in ground.
  A 5 gallon bucker or pot would be a good size.

• Any pea vine 4 feet or taller will do best planted in ground.

• All pea vines benefit from support. Tall pea vines require support.

• Mix some general purpose fertilizer and bone meal into the soil before planting.

• Peas don’t mind growing close together, so you can plant them as a clump directly from the container without separating the plants (which will help avoid transplant shock). Individual plants can be placed 2 or 3 inches apart if they are already growing in an individual container or cell.

• Harvest snow peas when mature size but still flat. Harvest snap peas when swelled (but not over ripe or they will become tough). Be sure to harvest frequently to keep the plants producing.

PLEASE NOTE: The plants on my farm table have NOT been hardened off. They are straight from the greenhouse.
You can do one of the following:
1. Expose them gradually to outdoor conditions over a week
-OR (as I do)-
2. Plant them immediately and give them protection from excess sun, wind, and rain for a week or two.

2026

(Descriptions and photos are from the seed company websites unless otherwise noted.)

SNOW PEA
Green Beauty

60 days. Stand up and harvest peas with the help of this vigorous, climbing variety. Green Beauty’s lush, 6–8 foot tall vines produce a show of spectacular, purple blooms followed by delicious, 5 inch long, flattened pods. If you leave some pods on the plants, you’ll find they remain flavorful and crunchy even when the seeds begin to swell. Open pollinated variety. (Territorial Seed)

Review from Territorial Seed customer:
Very tasty pea: I switched to this variety from the old OSU Oregon Giant variety. These are flavorful and nearly stringless when young to mature. Be prepared, they are vigorous growers and need (or would greatly benefit from) trellising to 5-6 feet. I am on my 4th picking ( with 1-2 more coming) in about 20 row feet. Very productive and blossoms are eye catching.

SNAP PEA
Sugaree

60 days. A classic green sugar snap pea. Vines are a bit shorter than most of our other peas topping out at 5 feet or so. Super tasty with a classic sweet crunch – we like to eat them when extra plump. Scored high for flavor and total marketable weight in the 2011 Northern Organic Variety Improvement Collaborative (NOVIC) trials despite showing less powdery mildew and enation resistance than others. Originally bred to be a public domain replacement for Sugar Snap, which at the time was a proprietary variety. Another great variety bred by Peace Seeds in Corvallis, Oregon. (Adaptive Seeds)

SNAP PEA
Sugar Bon

(Pisum sativum). 55 days. The Sugar Bon Snap pea is a delightful early-maturing dwarf variety suitable for spring or fall planting, and it produces sublimely sweet 3-inch pods borne on 1-to 2-foot-tall plants. Plants produce mega yields of the crispy, crunchy sweet and snackable peas that have both edible pods and peas. This early, high yielder is tidy and prolific, making it a perfect choice for tucking into square-foot gardens, under row covers in cool weather, or for mingling in your cottage garden among the flowers or in tidy container gardens. (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds)

SNAP PEA
Sugar Daddy

(Pisum sativum). 60-65 days. Superbly snackable and intensely tasty, this is a truly stringless edible-podded sugar snap pea with a brix (natural sugar) level that is just off the charts! The semi-dwarf vines reach just 24 inches tall and can be trellised or allowed to grow without support. Each bushy vine produces a bounty of 3-inch-long pods that can be eaten whole or shelled. They are amazing either way! A perfect choice for beginner gardeners as they're easy to grow and so rewarding. (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds)

SNAP PEA
Super Sugar Snap

64 days.The sweetest sugar snap ever grown, Super Sugar Snap bears a quicker, heavier crop than most others. It has become a classic favorite among Park gardeners, and we offer our highest recommendation for big, delicious crops every time from this dependable favorite!

The 55- to 65-inch vines are very productive, bearing twice as many pods as others. And the flavor of these tender, succulent peas is superb! The thick-walled, plump pods are just bursting with savory goodness.

Very vigorous, these vines are tolerant of Powdery Mildew and Pea Leaf Roll Virus, which makes Super Sugar Snap a good choice for beginning gardeners as well as seasoned vets. Begin your pea season a little sooner and realize incredible yields with this workhorse! Easy to grow, peas love cold weather. (Park Seed)

SNOW PEA
Dwarf White Sugar

50 days. Grow more peas in less space with economical, delectable Dwarf White Sugar! Very early to harvest and quite heavy-bearing, this compact plant offers sweet, tender pods just a few inches long. Easy to grow, peas love cold weather.

Pick the flat pods at just 2 to 2½ inches long for succulent, stringless flavor. Very heavy-bearing plants climb about 30 inches up a trellis or pea fence, setting big yields every inch of the way. You will love how productive these fast-growing little plants can be. (Park Seed)

Below are varieties offered in 2025. Some may also be available this year. I’m still working on updating the site.

Descriptions are from the seed company catalogs.
These are the varieties offered on the farm table in 2025.