Matt Male
Snow peas are easy to grow and very rewarding, but where do you start?
First, you need to choose a variety.
I use Oregon Sugar Pod seeds and they cost on average less than 10 cents a seed. And with snow peas somewhere around $20 a kg, it’s well worth it.
I usually only need to plant half a dozen seeds to get a plentiful harvest.
But before they go in the ground, I check the soil. Snow peas don’t like having wet feet, so they need a well-drained area that’s rich in organic matter.
If your existing vegetables are doing well, you probably have plenty of good soil.
But if you’re starting a new garden bed, heap on some compost. It is a great way to improve soil. It helps with drainage and nutrients, and all that other good stuff.
After adding compost, loosen up the soil with a shovel or a hoe so there are no large clumps remaining.
Now it’s time to sow the seeds into the garden beds.
For a good harvest, I usually grow three plants in a small area by putting a couple of seeds in each hole. It would probably work with one seed but when it works out to be a few cents per seed, I don’t mind using a few extra than needed – especially because it can take some time before they appear and if your one seed fails, you’re down a couple of weeks on your harvest.
They appreciate a good support system, so put in a cage or trellis at the time of planting.
One to two months later, depending on the time of year, I usually have snow peas coming through thick and fast.
Once they start appearing, they don’t stop. So I try to go out there every morning and night and pick them because it just encourages more and they taste great.
Snow peas have a sweet and tender taste, which makes them perfect for stir-fries or as a side dish.
You can also eat snow peas raw with a dip, or in salads.
They’re a great way to add some flavour and texture to your meal, too.
Happy harvesting!
– Matt blogs about his garden at mattsplants.co
