How to Harvest Snow Peas

Harvesting snow peas regularly is the key to producing an abundant crop of snow peas.

In this article I’ll tell you when snow peas are ready to harvest, how to prolong the harvest time, and I’ll give you tips for storing and cooking snow peas from your vegetable garden.

This post contains affiliate links. Please read the disclosure for more info.

picking snow peas

Snow peas (Pisum sativum var. saccharatum), also known as Asian peas, Chinese peas or Sugar peas, are edible green pods that are part of the legume family.

The pods are flat, crisp and sweet when they’re young and the whole pod is eaten, rather than just the seeds like most pea varieties.

Snow pea seeds can be planted in spring once the risk of frost has passed.

The vines can grow up to 6.5 feet  (2 metres) tall so they’ll need a trellis or vertical structure to climb up.

When to harvest snow peas

Snow pea pods are usually ready to be harvested about 60 to 70 days after planting.

The warmer the temperature, the earlier the plants will start producing pods.

Start picking the snow peas once they reach a length of 2 inches (5 cm), when they’re sweet and crisp.

The snow peas should be flat, not bulging. 

Don’t let the snow peas stay on the vine for too long because they’ll become tough and stringy.

Pick the snow peas early in the morning when they’re crisp and crunchy.

Harvest every few days or so for a continuous supply of snow peas.

You can also pick snow pea sprouts when they’re about 4 inches (10 cm) long.

You can eat the sprouts raw in sandwiches and salads or use them as a garnish for your meals.

Below is a picture of some snow pea sprouts that I picked from my garden.

snow pea sprouts

How to harvest snow peas

Harvesting snow peas is easy to do, just hold the plant with one hand and gently twist and snap the pea from the plant with your other hand.

Check the plants at least every second day and harvest the ripe snow peas for a continuous supply.

How to store snow peas

Once harvested, snow peas will keep fresh stored in a plastic bag in the crisper section of the fridge for 5 to 7 days.

You can also freeze snow peas by blanching them first in boiling water for 90 seconds and then placing them in ice water to stop the cooking process.

Dry the snow peas with a paper towel and place them in a freezer bag.

Snow peas can be frozen for up to eight months. [1]

How to eat snow peas

Snow peas can be sliced or added whole to salads, stir fries, pasta, and rice dishes.

They add a nice crunch to soups and noodle dishes and they can also be steamed or lightly boiled.

Some snow pea varieties have a string that runs along the edge of the pod and it’s a good idea to remove the strings before cooking because they’re a bit fibrous.

freshly picked snow peas

RELATED ARTICLES

So there are my tips for harvesting, storing and cooking snow peas from your garden.

Snow peas are easy to grow and you won’t have to wait long to harvest the crisp, fresh pods from your garden.

If you have any questions about picking snow peas, please let me know in the comment section below.

Are you on Pinterest? I have boards dedicated to Vegetable Gardening and Garden Ideas that you may enjoy. You can also find me on Facebook.

harvesting snow pea pods

Kelly Martin

Hi, I'm Kelly Martin, a landscape gardener and designer with over 10 years experience. I have a passion for small space gardening and I love designing and creating beautiful outdoor spaces that maximize the potential of small urban gardens. Read more

Leave a Reply