Growing Peas in the Home Garden Horticulture Growing Peas in the Home Garden Freshly harvested, shelled, and cooked peas are a late spring treat. While the garden or English pea has been widely grown for years, gardeners may also want to plant the edible podded peas. Edible podded peas include the snow and snap peas. Young pods are tender, stringless, and may be stir-fried in Chinese dishes, steamed, or cooked like snap beans. If the seeds are allowed to develop fully, they may be shelled and used like garden peas.
Snap peas are also edible podded peas.
Snap peas are best picked when the seeds are nearly full size. The pod walls are thick, fleshy, and crunchy. Snap peas may be eaten raw in salads, snapped and cooked like snap beans, or shelled for garden peas. They also freeze very well. Garden, snow, and snap peas are cool season crops.