When to harvest peas and snow peas depends on understanding how they grow. Growing peas and snow peas in the veggie patch or containers is both rewarding and relatively straightforward, even for beginner gardeners. Being cool-season vegetables, they thrive when sown from late autumn through early spring in most regions, as they prefer milder temperatures and will struggle in the hotter months.
Planting tips
Location:
Choose a sunny spot. Fill your garden bed with a nutrient-dense, high mineral soil like Rocky Point Organic Health Garden Soil. This will encourage strong, healthy growth right from the get-go! Legumes prefer a slightly “sweet” soil (alkaline), so if you are using existing soil that has an acidic or closer to neutral pH, add some dolomite to raise the pH before planting. If you are growing climbing varieties, pop your trellis of choice in place before sowing or planting, as strong support will influence when to harvest peas and snow peas by helping pods develop evenly and stay off the ground. There are dwarf varieties available and these can be ideal for smaller space gardens and container growing.
Planting:
Sow seeds directly into the soil about 2-3 cm deep and 5 cm apart, providing a trellis or support for climbing varieties.
Growing:
Regular watering is essential, especially during flowering and pod formation, but avoid waterlogging as peas dislike soggy roots. Proper care at this stage will influence when to harvest peas and snow peas, ensuring pods develop full sweetness and tenderness. After planting, mulch with Rocky Point Lucerne Mulch to help retain moisture, suppress weeds and keep soil conditions more even. Give your peas and snow peas regular side dressings of Rocky Point ActivGrow Fertiliser Pellets for optimal crops.
Harvesting
Peas and snow peas are typically ready to harvest around 8-10 weeks after sowing. For the sweetest flavour, pick pods early in the morning while they are crisp and tender. Snow peas should be harvested while the pods are still flat, before the seeds begin to swell, whereas garden peas are best picked when the pods are full but not over mature. Regular harvesting will encourage further production throughout the season.
Did you know pea shoots and flowers are also edible?
