Soaking and Sowing Sugar Snap Peas


Some of the earliest crops to arrive at the Farmers Markets are peas: Snow Peas, English Shelling Peas, Sugar Snap Peas. We love them. In our family we just shake some kosher salt with Sugar Snap Peas and snack on them when they’re fresh in the spring. I can’t wait to taste them just-picked from our backyard garden.

I still have Shelling Peas to plant from last year, so this winter when I shopped for seeds at Botanical Interests, I bought Sugar Snap Peas.

Sugar Snap Peas Seed Back of Packet from Botanical Interests

Botanical Interests has only non-GMO and untreated seeds. They have a great selection of organic and heirloom seeds. They pack so much information on their seed packets. Nothing is wasted. There’s more to read on the inside of the seed packet.

Sugar Snap Peas Seed Inside Packet from Botanical Interests

We’ve been tilling and weeding our Shade Garden for the past few days now. As soon as the seeds are ready they are going in the ground. The Shelling Peas are in the refrigerator. Peas love cold. Sugar Snap Peas have to be soaked in water for 12 to 24 hours before sowing in the ground.

Sugar Snap Peas Seed Packet from Botanical Interests, Special Germination Instructions

I took a piece of paper towel and folded it in two, cut it to fit in this DIY HDPE tray. Watch my husband make these HDPE trays from empty Arrowhead Water jugs.

They look so space age, don’t they? Very versatile, easy to store because they stack. We can use them for pretty much anything. If I’m soaking seeds, I can slip the seed packet between the two nested trays, so I don’t forget what I’ve soaked.

HDPE trays DIY recycle empty Arrowhead Water Jugs

Get the paper towel wet and put the seeds between the folds. Set it aside in a cool dark cabinet.

Soaking Sugar Snap Peas

The next day, the Sugar Snap Peas have absorbed the moisture from the paper towels. They are engorged and juicy.

Soaked Sugar Snap Peas are Moist and Engorged

I sow them 2 inches apart, like the packet instructs. I’m expecting these peas to sprout next week.

Sowing Sugar Snap Peas

There’s still time to get your Sugar Snap Peas seeds from Botanical Interests. Peas are super-amazing plants because aside from being a delicious and nutritious raw snack, their roots also add nitrogen to the soil. Apparently peas stop producing once the weather gets hotter than 70F, so when it does, the soil is ready for the next crop. Such a giving vine!


2 responses to “Soaking and Sowing Sugar Snap Peas”

  1. You have a quality page! Where do you garden that you had such a pretty day to film?

    I’ve never soaked garden peas before, but I have got them wet to get inoculant to stick… your way would cover both (soaking and wet for innoc). I do soak sweet peas (lots of seed that will not grow, nice to know which is which by presoaking). Happy growing to you, looking forward to the report of that first, slightly immature little pea that is so good that it gets its own blog….all the way to I have way too many snap peas, come and get um! Have fun.

    Debs of the Toy Box Suburban Farm

    • Thanks, Debs. I am in the Central Valley in California. Very sunny place, and we have a very long summer to look forward to. It gets very hot here, so I am hoping the peas don’t bolt before we’ve had a good harvest.

      I love your page too, and you have chickens! That will be my next project.

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