Whether raw or cooked, in a salad or in a stew - sugar snap peas from your own garden are a welcome treat in summer. The cultivation is worthwhile, because sugar snap peas are not only undemanding, but also extremely easy to care for.
The basics decide: location and soil
The sweet pea plants prefer to grow in full sun. This is where they thrive most and produce lots of pods. In addition, they are also content with a partially shaded location. A moderate climate is enough for them. But beware: the location should be changed after three years at the latest.
At the bottom, sugar snap peas make wishes that are usually easy to fulfil. These include the following features:
- deeply relaxed
- well drained
- medium heavy (ideal: sandy-loamy)
- nutritious
- humorous
- calcareous
- pH between 6 and 7.5
From sowing to harvest
Sweet peas are sown directly outdoors between late March and mid-April. A sowing depth of 5 cm and a distance between the individual plants of at least 3 cm is ensured. Climbing aids should be put into the ground right at the time of sowing.
Sugar snap peas require little care from their gardeners. In the beginning and during longer dry periods, they should be watered regularly. Fertilizer is not absolutely necessary. However, a dose of rock flour (€14.13) or compost will help with later yields. As soon as the plants have reached a size of 10 cm, they are piled up with soil in the root area to become more stable.
After the sugar peas have entered the flowering phase between mid-May and early June, the pods are ready for harvest in mid/late June. They are generally harvested before maturity, when they are narrow and tender.
tips and tricks
In order to protect the sweet peas from fungal diseases, it is advisable to plant them in mixed cultures. Ideal plant neighbors in their immediate vicinity are, for example, lettuce, kohlrabi, carrots, radishes and radishes.