How to grow Snow Peas in Australia

Where to plant

Snow peas need at least six hours of sun a day and well-drained soil improved with compost. They like a neutral soil, so on acid soils add a little lime or dolomite at planting. Do not add rich manures or high-nitrogen fertiliser just before sowing: peas make much of their own nitrogen, and too much gives leaves instead of pods.

Climbing types need a trellis, netting or a teepee of stakes. Run rows north to south if you can, so both sides of the vines get sun. Snow peas are frost hardy, but frost can damage the flowers and young pods, so in cold areas time your sowing so flowering misses the hardest frosts.

• South East Queensland: sow from March to August. Autumn sowings crop through the mild winter.
• Northern Rivers: sow from March to September; inland areas have a slightly longer season.
• Sydney: sow from April to August.
• Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth: sow from March to August; April to June sowings are the most reliable. Avoid the heat from September to February.
• Hobart: sow from August to November, plus a February sowing for an autumn crop.
• Canberra: sow from August to November. Spring is the reliable window, as autumn sowings risk losing their flowers to hard frost.
• North Queensland and Darwin: sow in the dry season, from May to August. Snow peas fail in wet season heat and humidity.

Choosing a variety

• Oregon Sugar Pod is the standard snow pea: about 1.5 m tall, with flat, sweet pods about 10 cm long.
• Mammoth Melting Sugar is a tall, vigorous climber to about 1.8 m with large pods, and needs a solid trellis.
• Dwarf types such as Snow Wind grow to about 60 cm and need little or no support, which suits pots and small beds.
• Purple-flowered climbers such as Yakumo and Roi de Carouby grow to about 2 m and look as good as they taste.

How to plant

1. Set up the trellis or netting before you sow, so you do not disturb the roots later.
2. Water the bed the day before sowing so the soil is moist but not wet.
3. Make a groove about 2.5 to 4 cm deep along the base of the support.
4. Drop the seeds in about 5 to 10 cm apart and cover them. Do not soak the seed first.
5. Do not water again until the seedlings appear, usually in 7 to 10 days, unless the soil dries out. Peas rot in cold, wet soil, and this is the most common reason they fail to come up.
6. Guide the young shoots onto the support. Their tendrils will grip the netting from there.

Watering and feeding

Once the plants are up, water when the top of the soil feels dry, at the base of the plants rather than over the leaves, ideally in the morning. Keep the soil evenly moist once flowering starts, as dry soil then reduces the crop. Overwatering, especially in cold weather, is a common problem.

Feed lightly. Compost dug in a few weeks before sowing is a good start. Once the plants are growing, a liquid seaweed or potassium-rich feed every two to three weeks supports flowering. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilisers.

Pruning and care through the year

• Net seedlings if birds pull them out, and protect them from snails and slugs.
• Mulch lightly once the seedlings are about 10 cm tall to keep the roots cool and the soil moist.
• Keep picking. Regular picking keeps the vines flowering; once pods are left to mature, the plant slows down.
• Watch for powdery mildew as spring warms up. Good spacing and watering at the base help delay it.
• When the vines finish, cut them off at ground level and leave the roots in the soil, where they break down and feed the next crop.

Harvesting

Snow peas are usually ready about 8 to 10 weeks after sowing. Pick the pods while they are still flat and tender, when the peas inside are just starting to show, often 7 to 10 cm long depending on the variety. Pick every two or three days. Use two hands, or snip with scissors, so you do not pull the vine off the trellis.

The tender shoot tips (pea shoots) are also delicious; pinch a few from the top of the vines, but do not take so many that you reduce the crop. Snow peas keep a few days in a bag in the fridge and are best eaten soon after picking.

Growing in pots

Snow peas grow well in a pot or trough at least 40 to 50 cm wide and 20 cm deep, with a quality potting mix and a small trellis or stakes. Dwarf varieties suit pots best. Place the pot in full sun, out of strong wind, and keep the mix lightly moist.

Using it

Eat snow peas raw in salads and with dips, or cook them very briefly: a minute or two in a stir-fry or a quick blanch keeps them crisp and bright green. Pull off the string along the seam if there is one. Pea shoots are good raw in salads or tossed into stir-fries at the last minute.

Saving seed

Leave some pods on the healthiest vines until they are dry and papery. Shell the peas, dry them for another week or two, and store them in a cool, dry place in a paper bag or jar. Check saved seed for small round holes from pea weevil and discard any that are damaged.