Sugar Snap Peas on 8b

Shoda on 5/29/2010, 8:01 pm

This is the first year we have grown Sugar Snap Peas. It is starting to get warm here -- today it was almost 80. I know these are considered a cool weather crop. How long with they continue to produce? They are getting very tall and are flowing over the top of the 4' trellis I put up.

If they are going to produce for a while more, I will have to build up the trellis. Also, has anyone extended the season of peas with shade cloth? They are very delicious and would like to keep them happy as long as I can.

boffer on 5/29/2010, 8:24 pm

I have 6 foot trellises for our snap peas. They will grow taller than that, but the trellis height works. I plan on a planting producing for 3-4 weeks. (I plant peas four times, 3 weeks apart) Last year was one of our warmest summers on record, and we didn't notice a harvest decline. I've never tried to shade peas.

Lavender Debs on 5/29/2010, 8:30 pm

Washington is NOT California so take this with a grain of salt.

My big problem with warm weather snap peas is enation, those hard bumps on the pod that will not hurt you but just look nasty. It is aphids that spread enation. Snap peas do not seem to be as sweet when it gets warm as when it is chilly (but how ever would I know this from Washington??? We almost got up to 55 today) When I did row gardens I cut snap peas to the ground in July, gave them a top dressing of nasty rabbit poop compost and they would come back in fall. I don't know how that will work with SFG, but there is hope!

I suppose you could put a quick-shade over your garden.

chexmix on 5/29/2010, 9:07 pm

I'm in 8b zone in alabama. We have been hitting the 90's here and my sugar snaps are doing great. Matter of fact I had a big hand full of them this afternoon as a snack.

This is my first years growing them so here's hoping they will keep producing even in the heat.

Shoda on 5/31/2010, 4:32 pm

Thanks Chexmix. Guess we have to wait and see. We haven't been that hot yet. Let me know when your peas stop producing. They are not supposed to when it gets too hot but I can't seem to find out what too hot means! In the meantime, I will keep the watered and harvested and enjoy them as long as I can. They are wonderful!

Odd Duck on 6/7/2010, 6:32 am

All my peas are done and pulled out. We have had near record heat for this time of year and the peas got what appeared to be a fungus early. They were getting much less sweet, anyway. Time for them to go.

Shoda on 6/7/2010, 8:57 am

Thanks for the update on the peas. Our snow peas are still doing OK and the plants are still covered in blooms. However, they are less sweet and are tending to wilt in the afternoon sun. They also need daily morning water to make it through the day. Our temps are still rather low though, having only touched on the high 80's for a day or two and we are now back to the high 70's. (Yes that is low for our area as summers are usually in the 90's and peak around 110.)

In a stir fry, I can't really tell that the sweetness is going but they are not as good to eat raw.

I think I will toss a shade cloth over them to see if that will help them stay cooler. Especially as the heat picks up.

Sugar Snap Peas on 8b

Sugar Snap Peas on 8b

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