Planting Sugar Snap Peas for Spring!
It’s that time of the year again… a sugar snap pea planting post!
Every year I post about them with pretty much the same pictures and details, and every single year I post about them with crazy enthusiasm. I mean there’s no garden without sugar snap peas growing!
Last year we grew a bunch of sugar snap pea plants but this year (as always) we kicked it up a bit. There will be 93 sugar snap pea plants! There’s 22 in one 4×4 box in the back, 22 in another 4×4 box in the back and then 49 plants that will take up a entire 4×4 box. We’re one sugar snap pea loving family as you can tell.
About a week ago we started pre-sprouting the peas inside. Pre-sprouting will make sure your peas will grow once they’re in the soil as you’ll visually see they have already started. This makes growing more stress free as if it’s already pre-sprouted you can be pretty sure it will pop through the soil in a few days and that it’s not rotting underneath. Here’s a how to pre-sprout your peas tutorial I made a couple years ago.
After they sit in their plastic baggy for a few days, you’ll take them out and see they’ve all sprouted. That means they’re ready for the ground!
Before we put them into the ground we always mix them with seed inoculant which encourages high-nitrogen levels on roots for bigger plants which will yield more harvest! This is the type of inoculant we use. If you’ve never used it for your peas, you should try it!
Now finally we’re on the roof!
We plant the peas in 3 4×4 boxes. 2 of them we plant in the back where they are supported by a fence. We dig a little trench in the soil and throw the peas in, usually about 3 inches apart. Can you spot the 3 peas?
For the other 4×4 box we poke 49 (7 rows of 7) holes in the soil and then drop the peas in.
After the peas are in, we’ll cover them up, push down on the soil gently with our hands and then sprinkle them with water. Then you wait for the first one to pop through the soil which usually takes over a week. It’s a exciting time where every day you will run to the garden to see the first one. Once the first one pops up the others will follow quickly.
So with the peas planted and the fences in place, now we’ll just wait for the peas…
Hopefully they’ll be looking like this again very soon!
Do you grow sugar snap peas or other type of peas?
Great tutorial. I thought you had rolled your pea sprouts in coffee grounds!
How nice! I love planting new produce in my garden too!
Pamela, I have never grown sugar snap peas – but I am curious – do y’all use that Garden Combination Inoculant on all seeds?
I know I’ve said this before, but I will say it again – what y’all cultivate on y’alls rooftop never fails to blow me away!
Hey Shashi, the inoculant is great for peas and beans!
Wow, that’s a lot of pea plants! We only put in a dozen or so — we’re so lame! 🙂 Great post — such good info. Thanks.
93?!?! You are truly my hero.
Sugar snap wild side.
Yay, one of the only good things about the cold down under, watching as you plant and bring your garden to life. 🙂 Ive never grown peas before, but I should, I freakin love em.
After seeing your post come into my email I quickly ran out and bought snap pea seeds yesterday and got them planted. I love picking and eating fresh peas the same day! Sadly, I didn’t read your entire post first so didn’t take the time to sprout my seeds but I planted plenty and will likely have to thin them. Next year, I’ll get some seed inoculant and and sprout them first!
Please keep me updated on your pea plants Susan!
Great tutorial. I would love to be able to pick sugar snap peas straight from my garden. They make a great snack.
Pre-sprouting your peas is a great tip! I’m trying that this year – thanks!
I love sugar snap peas what a great post!
I don’t have any questions for you. I am just going to admire all your hard work and beautiful produce. On a side note, we did plant a very peppers and tomatoes, the usual kind. Let’s see if they make it long with me:).
[…] if you were wondering how the sugar snap peas were doing, they started coming up a few days ago. High […]
Well done you! 🙂 These peas will grow & grow & will be very yummy to eat!
We have put low peas in the ground. We put in 111 & 131 from another sort. 81 of one kind are growing bigger each day! 🙂
[…] After the peas are germinated, then you can plant them straight into your garden beds or soil. We dig a little trench in the soil and throw the peas in, usually about 3 inches apart. Then we’ll cover them up, push down on the soil gently with our hands and then sprinkle them with water. Here’s my walk through on how to plant peas! […]