How to grow Snow Peas
Updated October 2026
Snow peas are grown for their flat, tender, edible pods, picked before the peas inside swell. Like all garden peas they are a cool-season crop that survives light frost and stops producing in summer heat. Sow them as soon as the soil can be worked in spring in the North, and from fall through winter in Florida, the Gulf Coast and the Southwest.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Snow Peas and Sugar Snap Peas
Not to be confused with: Snow peas have flat pods eaten whole. Sugar snap peas have round, plump edible pods, and shelling peas are grown for the peas inside. Southern peas, or cowpeas, are a different summer crop.
Where to plant
Grow snow peas in full sun in well-drained soil enriched with compost, with a pH of about 6 to 6.8. Peas grow best in cool weather, roughly 55°F to 65°F, and production stops once the weather turns hot.
Put up a trellis or netting before sowing. You can sow a double row, one line of seed on each side of the trellis.
- Florida and the Gulf South: sow from September through February for pods through the mild winter. South Florida: October to January.
- Texas: sow in September for fall and in February for spring. Desert Southwest: September, October and January.
- California: sow in fall and late winter; Northern California into early spring.
- Mid-South, Mid-Atlantic and Southern Plains: sow in late winter to early spring, and again in August or September for a fall crop. July heat stunts young plants.
- Northeast, Midwest, Mountain West, Northern Plains and the Pacific Northwest: sow as soon as the soil can be worked in spring, then again in mid to late summer for fall.
- Hawaii: sow in the cooler months. Alaska: sow from May to July.
Choosing a variety
Oregon Sugar Pod II is a reliable, disease-resistant snow pea about 3 feet tall, and Oregon Giant has large pods. Mammoth Melting Sugar is a tall heirloom that needs a 4 to 5 foot trellis. Dwarf types suit pots and windy gardens.
How to plant
- Install the trellis first.
- For beds where peas have not grown before, coat the seed with a pea and bean inoculant to help the roots fix nitrogen.
- Sow seed 1 inch deep and 1 to 2 inches apart along the trellis. Some gardeners soak seed for a few hours first to speed germination.
- Sow more every week or two in spring for a longer harvest.
- Guide young vines onto the trellis; the tendrils grip once they reach it.
Watering and feeding
Keep the soil evenly moist, especially once flowering starts, and water at the base. Dry soil at flowering reduces the crop.
Peas make much of their own nitrogen and need little fertilizer. Compost dug in before sowing is usually enough.
Harvesting
Pick snow peas when the pods are flat, 2 to 3 inches long, and the peas inside are barely visible. Pods turn fibrous quickly, especially in warm weather, so pick every day or two. Hold the vine with one hand while you snap off the pod with the other, to avoid pulling the vine down.
Expect about 2 pounds of pods for every 10 feet of row. Store pods in a bag in the fridge and eat them within a few days for the best crunch.
Growing in pots
Dwarf snow peas grow in a pot at least 10 inches deep with a small trellis or a few twiggy sticks. Keep them in full sun and watered.
Using it
Snap off the stem end and pull away the string along the seam if there is one. Eat snow peas raw, or stir-fry them briefly so they stay crisp and bright green. Young pea shoots and tendrils are edible too.
Companion planting
Peas are easy neighbors. The main crops to keep away are the onion family.
Good companions
- Carrot A low root crop that grows well beside a pea trellis.
- Radish A quick crop sown along the row while the peas establish.
- Lettuce Grows in the light shade at the foot of the trellis as the weather warms.
- Cucumber Can take over the same trellis in summer after the peas finish.
- Sweet Corn A summer crop that follows peas well in the same bed.
- Bush Beans Another legume for the bed once the peas are done.
- Corn
Keep apart
Avoid planting these close to snow peas.
Pests and diseases
Aphids and powdery mildew are the most common problems, especially as the weather warms. Choosing mildew-resistant varieties helps.
Pests to watch for
- Aphids Clusters of pale green insects on shoot tips and young pods; they also spread pea viruses.
- Slugs and snails Seedlings chewed off or ragged holes in leaves in damp weather.
- Pea weevil
Diseases to watch for
- Powdery mildew White powder on leaves and pods, usually late in the season as days warm.
- Downy mildew Yellow patches on top of leaves with gray-purple fuzz underneath in cool, damp weather.
- Rust Rusty-brown pustules on the leaves and stems.
Common questions
When should I plant snow peas?
In the North, sow as soon as the soil can be worked in spring, and again in late summer for fall. In Florida, the Gulf Coast and the Southwest, sow from fall through winter. Choose your region at the top of the page for the months.
What is the difference between snow peas and sugar snap peas?
Snow peas have flat pods picked before the peas swell. Sugar snaps have round, plump pods with full-sized peas inside, and both are eaten pod and all. Shelling peas are grown only for the peas.
When do I pick snow peas?
When the pods are flat, about 2 to 3 inches long, and the peas inside are just tiny bumps. Pick every day or two, as they quickly turn tough, especially in warm weather.
Why did my peas stop producing?
Usually heat. Peas grow best around 55°F to 65°F and stop flowering in hot weather. Powdery mildew late in the season also weakens them. Sow earlier in spring, or grow a fall or winter crop.
Do snow peas need a trellis?
Most do. Even short varieties crop better and are easier to pick on netting or strings about 3 feet tall. Tall heirlooms need 4 to 5 feet.
Can I eat pea shoots?
Yes. The tender tips and tendrils are sweet and pea flavored. Pinch a few from each plant, or sow a thick patch just for shoots.
Sources we checked: University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension: Peas, growing your own (NEP-248); University of Minnesota Extension: Growing peas; Savvy Gardening: Growing snow peas.
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