The pods of snow peas are flat and thin with the bulge of the tiny seed barely visible at prime eating stage. The bright green pods should be turgid and crisp. They contain five to seven seeds and reach a length of two to three inches. The pods of sugar snaps are plump like regular English peas but are sweet and tender, thus eaten whole without being shelled, eaten raw or cooked. The vigorous growing vine is a legume.
Peas grow best in well-drained sandy soil.
Plant seed in single rows about one inch deep with seed spaced about five inches apart. Trellis the plants to support the vines and keep pods from touching the soil. Maintain good soil moisture during bloom, pod set and pod fill for tenderest, sweetest pods. Availability - Edible podded peas are not grown commercially in Texas because hot and windy conditions in spring cause inconsistent quality in open fields of vegetable farms. Most of peas found in Texas markets are from California.