Will Sugar Snap Peas Grow In Summer

Will Sugar Snap Peas Grow In Summer? (Here’s What You Need to Know)

If you’ve ever had any interest in gardening, then you know how important it is to plant specific crops during the time of the year that they require to grow.

For example, planting something that needs cold weather during the summer will negatively impact how it grows and vice versa.

For example, let’s take a look at sugar snap peas. This delicious type of peas is often enjoyed in warm weather. But should you plant it when it’s warm aside?

Will Sugar Snap Peas Grow In Summer?

Even though sugar snap peas are most often enjoyed in the summer, they actually don’t grow this time of the year. In general, sugar snap peas grow best from late winter/early spring to the beginning of the summer.

Sugar snap peas have quite a short growing season, as they require a specific temperature. Because of that, it’s important to plant them on time if you want to be able to enjoy them.

What temperature do sugar snap peas need?

Sugar snap peas

Sugar snap peas grow best when the temperature is 7°C (40°F) or higher. As you can see, this type of plant flourishes in colder weather and doesn’t fare well in very warm weather.

In fact, sugar snap peas don’t tolerate temperatures higher than 20°C (70°F). At this or higher temperature, the peas will no longer grow and may even rot. So, it’s important to keep the temperature of the growing location in check.

With that said, sugar snap peas also don’t do well in extremely cold weather.

So, if the temperature has been below freezing after you planted your sugar peas, you may need to replant them since the coldness might have damaged the crops.

Sugar snap peas, just like all other types of peas, are a cool-season vegetable, so they can generally tolerate cold weather but within reason.

Can sugar snap peas grow in the winter?

Sugar snap peas growing

Depending on the climate where you live, sugar snap peas grow best in early spring, after the ground has defrosted. They can also do well in autumn, provided the temperatures haven’t dropped too low.

As a result, sugar snap peas don’t grow in the winter unless the temperatures are quite high. If the temperature is below zero or if there’s snow, sugar snap peas will not grow.

Such low temperature damages the roots and prevents the absorption of nutrients from the soil.

So, even though sugar snap peas are a cool-season vegetable, they don’t grow in extremely harsh and cold conditions.

How do you grow sugar snap peas?

Sugar snap peas close up

Growing sugar snap peas is quite easy. But you need several things before you begin to make the process simple and ensure that peas thrive.

First of all, you need to get a trellis. Sugar snap peas are a climbing vegetable, so they need something that they can climb. A trellis also gives the plant support once the peas start growing and adding weight to the branches.

You also need to pick the site for planting your sugar snap peas. Planting peas in a very sunny spot will produce very sweet pods, so keep that in mind when choosing the location for planting.

Peas are also vulnerable to root rot. So, before planting, be sure that the location you have chosen is well draining so that the soil doesn’t become too wet and soggy.

After you have chosen the site and planted the pea seeds, wait until they start sprouting. When that happens, you can set up the trellis to help support the branches and growing pods.

What’s more, you may want to consider adding a light layer of mulch to the planted peas. You can either use straw or compost, as these will ward off weeds and regulate soil temperature, which is important for sugar snap peas. 

Can you grow sugar snap peas in your house?

Green Sugar Snap Peas

Even though sugar snap peas need cool weather, it’s entirely possible to grow this type of peas indoors. So, you can build your own small garden and enjoy the peas despite not having a large garden.

If you want to grow sugar snap peas inside your house, you will need a large pot set up by a sunny window.

Your sugar snap peas plant should receive about 8 to 10 hours of bright light and sunshine each day. If that’s not possible, you can supplement less sunny locations with artificial light that’s specifically designed for plants.

When choosing to grow sugar snap peas at home, you also may want to choose varieties that don’t take too long to grow.

This will make the whole process much easier, and you will also be able to enjoy your sugar snap peas much sooner.

Do sugar snap peas need a lot of water?

Hand Harvesting Sugar Snap Peas

Sugar snap peas don’t need too much water. This is great news for people who want to grow their sugar snap peas in a small garden or at home.

This type of pea needs about 2.5 cm of water per week. When watering sugar snap peas, be sure to avoid watering the foliage, such as the branches and leaves. That way, you can avoid diseases and plant rot.

Also, be sure to remove any weeds. These tend to compete with the plant, which can prolong the growing process and even damage the plant.

Also, be sure not to overwater the plant, as this can be as bad as not watering it enough. Instead, it might be a good idea to set up a watering system that automatically detects whether the plant is dehydrated and needs more water.

That way, you can keep your plant healthy and growing.

Conclusion

As you can see, sugar snap peas don’t grow during summer, but they fare well in the months preceding this season.

Sugar snap peas, like other types of peas, are a cool-season vegetable. They need lower temperatures to grow.

So, if you want to enjoy sugar snap peas during summer, be sure to plant them earlier.

Sources: Research Gate, NSW Agriculture, and South Dakota State University

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