Amish Snap Pea

Seed Count: Approx. 25 Seeds

Days to Maturity: 70 Days

Description: This superb snap pea was reportedly grown in the Amish community for a long time before present snap pea types. Vines are tall and grow to be about 5-6' tall. At Maturity they are covered in 2" translucent medium green pods, and yields over a 6-week period if constantly picked. It's delicate and sweet even when the seeds are developed.  

Mint2Grow Tip:  The Amish snap pea is one of the tastier varieties of peas I've tried, although the blue podded pea is still my favorite.  It's sweet and crisp.  However, the shells do get tough once the peas start developing, so I would wait until the peas are bigger and use them as a shelling pea, if you miss a couple.  Even the peas, when developed, are quite tasty.  It definitely needs a trellis for support because these vines get long.   Even in my heat, they grew pretty tall and produced quite well.  It got so tall that it took over a frond of my dwarf coconut tree.

How To Grow

Sowing:  Because peas thrive in cool weather and do not transplant well, they should be planted outside 4-6 weeks before the last frost or when the average soil temperature reaches at least 40 degrees F.  If planting later, remember that most peas won't tolerate weather above 75 degrees F.  Plant seeds 2 inches apart and 2 inches deep, in light soil and full sun.  They also make for a great fall crop in places with mild temperatures.  Peas make great companion plants, but they do not do well when planted near onions or garlic.

Growing:  Before they bloom, pea plants need to be kept moist but not wet; after blooming, you should slightly increase their watering.  Remove weeds carefully to avoid disturbing the plants; mulch may be helpful to conserve moisture and control weeds.  This pea makes a long vine and will require support.

Harvesting:  Snap peas taste best when harvested as soon as they reach their mature length, but before the peas inside have fully developed.  Check the pods often for the best results.  Shelled peas generally taste best when harvested as soon as the pods have filled out, but before they reach their full size. Remove even the pods that have passed their prime, since old pods left on the vines will stop the production of new pods.  To save seeds from peas, let the pods mature fully on the vine; they will turn brown, and the peas should rattle inside when they have fully dried. If wet conditions threaten, pull the entire plant and hang it upside down in a warm, dry location to finish drying. Shell the peas after 1-2 weeks of drying, and store the seed in a cool, dry place for up to three years.