How to grow sugar snap peas in a raised bed

Sugar snap peas are the best of both worlds — a plump, sweet pea inside an edible, crunchy pod you eat whole. Few crops are as moreish straight from the vine.

Quick facts

• Position: full sun
• Spacing: 5–8 cm apart
• Tub depth: our 23 cm or 35 cm depth
• Time to harvest: 9–12 weeks
• Support: a trellis for climbing types

When should I plant sugar snap peas?

Like all peas they love the cool — sow autumn through late winter, or early spring in cold areas. Sow directly. Our free garden calendar shows the right months for your postcode.

• Subtropical (Brisbane & SEQ): March to August
• Temperate (Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth): March to September
• Cool & mountain (Tasmania, Canberra, highlands): March and August to November
• Tropical (Cairns, Darwin): May to July
• Arid inland: March to August

How do I grow sugar snap peas in a raised bed?

Sow into the mix and give climbing types a trellis. Legumes need little feeding — too much nitrogen gives leaf at the expense of pods.

How often should I water and feed sugar snap peas?

Keep the mix evenly moist through flowering and podding; water the soil in the morning.

What pests attack sugar snap peas?

Keep an eye out for aphids, caterpillars and thrips. Most are easily managed — see our safe pest guide.

What diseases affect sugar snap peas?

The main ones are powdery mildew and downy mildew. Good airflow, morning watering and steady moisture prevent most.

What grows well with sugar snap peas?

Carrots and beans make good neighbours; keep peas away from the onion family. See our companion planting guide.

When do I harvest sugar snap peas?

Pick when the pods are plump and the peas well-formed but still tender — snap one and taste to judge. They're sweetest eaten straight away.

More growing guides: peas, snow peas and beans.

Plan your patch: our free garden calendar shows what to plant now where you live. Ready to grow? Browse our raised garden beds or build your own with the garden bed builder.

Image: Ruth Hartnup from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.