You don’t want to wait until the peas are bulging out of the pod, and you also don’t want to pick them too soon (when they look more like snow peas instead). To harvest sugar snap peas, pinch behind the “tassle” at the top of the pod and pull them off the vine. Here’s a photo of some of my best peas this season.
Should you pinch out sugar snap peas?
If your plants are vining well but are producing no flowers, you may have a lot of nitrogen in your soil boosting plant growth. This is a good time to pinch back the ends of your vines, harvesting those tasty pea shoots and tendrils for a salad. By pinching them back, you encourage flower production.
Do peas need pinching out?
Pinching out sweet peas will force the plant hormones called auxins to move to the side or auxiliary tips. The auxins will produce growth and for new and stronger growing tips. Pinching out sweet peas will provide you with more blooms for cutting. It’s one of the wonders of growing these delightful vines.
Do sweet peas need to be pinched?
Once plants are 4 to 6 in (10 to 15 cm) tall, pinch out the central growing tip, just above a leaf joint, leaving just 2 or 3 leaf nodes. This will encourage the plant to branch vigorously from the base. Sweet peas are heavy feeders.
How many sugar snap peas does one plant produce?
Purveyors list 20 pounds per 100 feet, with spacing at four peas per foot. That’s less than an ounce per plant which incredibly low, or least seems like it is unless they are only counting the pods.
Do sugar snap peas come back every year?
Like edible peas, sweet pea plants grow on vines and produce pods containing seeds that can be planted to grow plants the next year.
What happens if you don’t pinch out sweet peas?
Pinching out sweet peas is not required, but many gardeners choose to do so in order to keep sweet peas short and bushy. Others choose to pinch back sweet peas to stimulate the growth of numerous flower buds. Keep in mind that sweet peas are vining plants and can reach 6 to 9 feet tall.
How many times should I pinch out sweet peas?
This promotes root growth, rather than stem growth, which is exactly what you want. An unheated greenhouse or cold frame is usually sufficient. When there are three or four pairs of leaves, pinch out the leaders – just squeeze off the growing tip between your finger and thumb.
How long do sugar snap pea plants last?
If you allow the first dozen or two pods to mature and develop seeds, that may exhaust the plant and become your entire harvest; whereas, if you harvest all pods when young, a pea plant may continue to produce consistently for 2 to 3 months or longer.
Do you trim sugar snap pea plants?
The sugar snap pea does not need to be pruned.
Should pea plants be cut back?
When the plants are about 14 inches tall, cut off the top 6 inches — 4 inches for afila types — making the cut right above a leaf node. The plants will branch where you made the cut and resume growing to the normal height for the variety.
How do you increase the yield of peas?
After soaking the seeds overnight in lukewarm water, drain them and sprinkle an inoculant over them just before planting. This will boost the pea plants and produce higher yields. Because peas’ feeder roots run shallow, mulch is essential to keep the soil around the roots moist and cool.
Should I pinch out sweet pea tendrils?
We check the plants twice a week, continuing to remove side shoots and tendrils as they develop. We’ve found that if we pinch out by hand, the shoots don’t re-grow, whereas if we cut them, they often regrow. This may be purely coincidental, but it’s quicker anyway.
How often do you water snap peas?
Water peas sparsely with no more than 1 inch per week, unless plants are wilting. We don’t want to encourage pea rot. But also do not let the plants dry out. If this happens, no pods will be produced.
Do sugar snap peas need fertilizer?
Peas grow best in soil with a pH between 6 and 7.5. Use well-rotted manure or compost at planting. Continuous use of high phosphorus fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 15-30-15, or high rates of manure or manure compost results in phosphorus buildup in the soil.
What can I plant next to sugar snap peas?
Best Companion Plants for Peas
- Beans.
- Carrots.
- Celery.
- Corn.
- Cucumbers.
- Eggplant.
- Peppers.
- Radishes.
When should I pick my sugar snap peas?
The sugar snap peas will be ready to harvest in six to eight weeks from sowing. Harvest them when the pods are green and still tender, and the peas inside are just starting to swell. Snap off the tough ends and pull off any strings, and eat the entire pods or just the peas inside.
How many peas does a snap pea plant produce?
Pea plants usually produce 5 or 6 peas in each pod.
How many peas can you get from one plant?
Planting a vegetable garden for a family
| Crop (number of plants per ft. of row) | Number of plants per person |
|---|---|
| Onion (4 sets/ft. of row) | 12-20 sets |
| Peas (6 plants/ft. of row) | 15-20 plants |
| Pepper (1 plant/ft. of row) | 3-5 plants |
| Potato (1 plant/ft. of row) | 10 plants |
Does cutting sweet peas make them flower more?
As the flowers open keep cutting; this stimulates further flower production. Never leave seeds to develop on the plants. Remember that sweet peas are annuals. If seeds develop they tell the plant that its work is done and the plant starts to die back.
Is it too late to pinch out sweet peas?
To pinch out wait until sweet peas have grown to between four and eight inches high.