Snow Peas vs Snap Peas: Pods Plus Harvest Timing
Snow peas vs snap peas differs mostly in the pod and the harvest timing. University of Illinois Extension says snow peas are picked as flat, tender pods before the peas inside develop. Snap peas have low fiber pods that are picked with the immature peas inside.
The short answer
Snow peas are picked flat with barely formed seeds. Snap peas are picked once the pods fatten but are still tender and juicy. University of Minnesota Extension says both are pod types of Pisum sativum. Most peas need about 60 days of growth before harvest. Vining types of both require a trellis.
How do the pods differ?
University of Minnesota Extension says snow pea pods are thin and tender. They are picked when there are only tiny traces of peas inside.
University of Illinois Extension says snap peas were developed from garden peas. Their pods have low fiber and can be snapped along with the immature peas inside.
NC State Extension says garden peas grow round, starchy seeds in fibrous pods. Snap peas have juicy pods like green beans with almost full seeds.
When is each picked?
Snow peas arrive first. Illinois Extension says they are harvested as flat pods before the peas inside develop at all.
Sugar snaps peak when the pods first start to fatten but before the seeds grow very large. Illinois says to pick snap peas every 1 to 3 days, as with snow peas.
Pods on the lower part of the plant mature earliest. NC State Extension says to harvest every few days once picking starts.
| Trait | Snow peas | Snap peas |
|---|---|---|
| Pod | Flat plus thin | Plump plus juicy |
| Seeds at harvest | Barely formed | Nearly mature |
| Picking | Before peas develop | As pods start to fatten |
| Days to harvest | About 60 | About 60 |
Source: University of Illinois Extension plus University of Minnesota Extension.
Do they grow the same way?
Yes. Both are cool season crops. NC State Extension says to sow seeds directly in the soil as soon as the ground has thawed.
University of Minnesota Extension says most peas need about 60 days of growth before harvest. Plants stop producing flowers or pods once temperatures rise above 85 degrees F.
Growth habit varies with the variety. Illinois says some snap and sugar peas are vining types 6 feet tall or more that need fencing or other supports.
How to: step by step
- Choose a snow or snap variety for the pod you want.
- Sow seed as soon as the ground thaws.
- Set up a trellis for vining types.
- Watch the lower pods since they mature first.
- Pick snow peas while flat.
- Pick snap peas as pods start to fatten.
Troubleshooting
Few pods in summer: heat above 85 degrees F. Sow early.
Vines sprawling: no support. Add a trellis.
Tough snow pea pods: picked late. Harvest every few days.
For related reading see cannabis leaf anatomy, frost damage on cannabis plus companion plants when growing marijuana. Kind Seed Co also stocks cannabis seeds.
Sources
- Growing peas in home gardens, University of Minnesota Extension
- Standout vining snow plus snap pea varieties, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, Weekly Crop Update
- Peas, home vegetable gardening, University of Illinois Extension
- Lathyrus oleraceus (garden pea), NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
FAQ
Do snow and snap peas need support?
Vining types do. University of Delaware Cooperative Extension grew three vining snow peas and four vining snap peas and found all of them required trellising. University of Minnesota Extension says shorter bush types can be planted in a row where the plants cling to and support each other.
Do peas handle frost?
Young plants do. University of Minnesota Extension says young pea plants can survive light frost and will grow at any temperature above 40 degrees F. Once plants have started to flower and set a crop, frost can be damaging. NC State Extension says young plants have some frost resistance.
Can peas be grown in fall?
Yes. University of Illinois Extension says heat tolerant varieties can be sown in midsummer to late summer to mature during cool fall days. Allow more days before the first killing frost than the listed days to maturity. Short, cool fall days slow the crop compared with spring.
How often should pods be picked?
Often. University of Illinois Extension says snap peas should be harvested every 1 to 3 days, much like snow peas, for peak quality. NC State Extension also advises harvesting every few days. Picking a few pods every day or two near harvest time shows when the peas are at the right stage.
How long until the first harvest?
University of Minnesota Extension says most varieties of peas need about 60 days of growth before harvest. NC State Extension says the plants often reach the harvest stage in 60 days. In a Delaware planting of vining types, picking began 62 days after a March 30 sowing and ended 82 days after planting.
