How to Tell When Snap Peas are Flowering?

PamB 5/31/2011, 5:21 pm

Greetings from South Jersey near Philly! I have an incredibly silly question. I planted sugar snap peas nearly two months ago, and the vines keep growing...and growing...and growing. But they haven't yet flowered.

How does when tell when snap peas are getting ready to flower, and by extension, grow the snap pea itself?

Thanks in advance for your help!

martha 5/31/2011, 9:28 pm

Me too, and mine just started flowering. My peas had too much cool rainy weather, so they stalled. I'm hoping to get peas before it is too hot.

**camprn** 5/31/2011, 9:43 pm

What kind of peas are you growing? My sugar ann peas just started blooming 2 days ago (6 weeks after sowing). One day the bloom is absent and then 2 days later blooms everywhere. The pea pod will grow right out of the flower. There are plenty of images on the web you can peek at before your own blooms peek out one morning. Very Happy

BackyardBirdGardner 5/31/2011, 10:27 pm

[quote="PamB"]How does when tell when snap peas are getting ready to flower, and by extension, grow the snap pea itself?/[quote]

You'll know. I wondered, too, but they were obvious when they flowered. The pods will form inside the bloom and grow out of it as the bloom drops.

Welcome aboard. You may get a better response in the future if you put this in the General Forum instead of the Welcome Mat, as this part is generally for saying hellos.

We love to see pictures, too. Hope to see you around soon!

kjenkins82 5/31/2011, 10:34 pm

About how long does it take from blossom to flower? Mine finally had some blossoms yesterday, but it is supposed to be in the 90s all week so I'm not sure they'll hang in there long enough for me to harvest any.

BackyardBirdGardner 5/31/2011, 10:58 pm

Buds don't take long to open....a day or two is my guess.....but, I never paid that much attention.

kjenkins82 5/31/2011, 11:04 pm

Doh! I meant to type blossom to harvest. Embarassed

PamB 6/2/2011, 8:39 am

Thanks everyone for the information! It's been in the 90s for three straight days, but now it's cooling down into the 80s, thank goodness...so hopefully the snap peas will flower before summer completely sets in.

If not, my preschooler can help me rip out the vines so we can plant something else. He'll enjoy that!

jymarino 6/2/2011, 10:01 am

My snap peas are still flowering, and it has been in the 90's all week. I even have a small snap pea plant starting underneath the others. I am hoping it will continue to grow and give me even more peas. Is there any way that you can give it some shade? I accidentally planted my Sweet 100 tom right next to the peas, but God again used my oops to benefit the garden. The tom is actually spreading out and shading the peas, so I am hopeful that my harvest may last a little longer. Good luck and remember that you can plant again in the fall!

God bless!

jymarino 6/2/2011, 10:10 am

As for your original question, that I totally forgot to answer, I would say probably about 7-10 days from flower to harvest. Once they start producing pods watch them very carefully. They get full really quick, especially if they have enough water. The fresher they are the better they taste. If the pod gets wrinkly just pitch it, it will be very unappetizing.

Aub 6/2/2011, 10:21 am

Here's some photos of my peas!

How to Tell When Snap Peas are Flowering? B2abd696

How to Tell When Snap Peas are Flowering? Bfe0d467

BackyardBirdGardner 6/2/2011, 10:22 am

If you watch the pods form by checking everyday, you will learn quickly by trial and error. I wait for mine to get about 3 inches long and start to "swell" a little. They can start off pretty "flat" and I want them to fill out a bit. Too much, though, and I think I read they lose some taste. I would rather pick everything too early instead of too late. Things are much more tender, and the flavors typically less sharp, when picking on the early side.

But, like everything else, you have to wait for "too late" to know how far you can push things. Again, it's all about trial and error.

My favorite way to eat peas is straight off the vine. I just break one off and pop it in the mouth. I will eat 5-6 everyday as I cruise the garden now....lol. I never thought I was a "grazer," but I guess I am.

jymarino 6/2/2011, 10:49 am

Aub

Those are some pretty, pretty peas!! Smile

You are not far from me, about three hours I think, so that makes me even more hopeful for my peas. I think I overcrowded them b/c I planted them as transplants but still only put 9 in a square. Unless I read it wrong....but I don't think so. I'm going to take some more pics today and hope to post later.

Aub 6/2/2011, 1:36 pm

I put in 8 per square, but I did 2 rows of 4, running parallel to the trellis. They seem pretty happy, so I guess it works! Very Happy

**camprn** 6/2/2011, 2:17 pm

Aub wrote:I put in 8 per square, but I did 2 rows of 4, running parallel to the trellis. They seem pretty happy, so I guess it works!

I planted about 18 per square and they are all holding up well and in full bloom. Very Happy

BackyardBirdGardner 6/2/2011, 2:22 pm

camprn wrote:
Aub wrote:I put in 8 per square, but I did 2 rows of 4, running parallel to the trellis. They seem pretty happy, so I guess it works!
I planted about 18 per square and they are all holding up well and in full bloom.

I did 8/square, too. I thought that was a lot. I can't imagine 18! Next year I planned to increase my peas since we love them so much. I think I may put 12 in a square since 18 worked and save the extra squares I was going to devote.

Did I say next year? LOL......I mean this fall!

**camprn** 6/2/2011, 2:23 pm

BackyardBirdGardner wrote:

Did I say next year? LOL......I mean this fall!

How to Tell When Snap Peas are Flowering? 311672

boffer 6/2/2011, 2:40 pm

camprn wrote:I planted about 18 per square and they are all holding up well and in full bloom.

+1 18 per square is not over planting at all.

But I don't have a bloom in sight. Sad

Even peas need a little heat to do their thing.

dianamarie03 6/2/2011, 3:27 pm

No blooms here either, Boffer Sad

Plants are tall and look healthy too.

jymarino 6/2/2011, 3:44 pm

You guys are a bit north of me and I just started getting blooms a few weeks ago. We have only been getting the really warm weather for a couple of weeks, and last week was nothing but rain, rain, rain. I did give all my plants a dose of Peruvian Seabird Guano tea last week and again this week. I don't know how much the extra guano helps but I figure it can't hurt as long as I don't overdo it. Be patient and keep them well watered. If it suddenly gets really hot where you are, see if you can provide a bit of shade for them. Hopefully you'll get a good harvest once they start going!

Squat_Johnson 6/2/2011, 4:32 pm

This photo is from 2 weeks ago. I think I had just picked the first batch. Those are Mammoth Melting Snow Peas.
How to Tell When Snap Peas are Flowering? Dsc03617

How to Tell When Snap Peas are Flowering? Dsc03617

I planted 4 kinds of Peas this year, and I used a pea innoculant. The Mammoth Melting are by far the best.

They are planted 9 to a sq. I think I planted in late February, but I would have to look at my notes. I have probably frozen about 8 quarts. These are by far the most productive squares in my garden.

jymarino 6/2/2011, 4:44 pm

Squat

Did you start these as seeds or transplants? I may have to look for some of those mammoths come autumn. They are way bigger than mine!

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