Pea (Snap type) Sugar Snap Seeds

Yes, sugar snap peas are climbing plants and definitely need something sturdy to grow up. Without support, they'll just sprawl on the ground, get tangled, and won't produce nearly as many pods. Bamboo canes, pea netting, wigwams, or even a simple trellis all work brilliantly. The taller the support, the more pods you'll get, so don't be shy about going up to 5 or 6 feet if you've got the space.

You can start sowing sugar snap pea seeds outdoors from March, once the worst of the cold weather has passed and the soil's warming up. If you're keen to get going earlier, sow them in pots or seed trays indoors from late February and plant them out when they're a few inches tall. For a steady supply of fresh pods, sow a new batch every two to three weeks right through until early summer, and you'll have peas coming from late spring into autumn.

They're ready when the pods are nicely plump, and you can just see the peas bulging inside, but they still feel crisp and snap easily. Pick them regularly to keep more coming, as if you leave them too long, they get tough and stringy.