"Melting sugar" really does describe the sweet and tender flavor of this delicious mammoth snow pea. An heirloom variety with gorgeous white blooms - pretty enough to use as cut flowers. Trailing vines reaching 5', make it both an edible vegetable and a beautiful landscape plant. Pods are tasty stir fried or in salads.
Among the largest (4-5") available snow peas, this stringless variety is more productive in cool weather, so it's perfect for early spring planting, and a second planting in early August for fall production. Provide a trellis or fence and pick before the peas inside start to get large. Mammoth Melting Sugar, an old and highly esteemed heirloom pea, is the most frequently grown snow pea in California. Wilt resistant. 70 days.
Heirloom peas or garden peas originated in middle Asia, from northwest India through Afghanistan and adjacent areas. A second area of development lies in the Near East, and a third includes the plateau and mountains of Ethiopia. Peas were one of the most widely grown vegetables of northern Europe during the Middle ages, as their description and cultivation was evident in almost every early gardening or agricultural book of any language in middle and northern Europe.
6-12 hours of Sun
Sprouts in 10-30 Days
Ideal Temperature: 45-80 Degrees F
Seed Depth: 1"
Plant Spacing: 4"
Frost Hardy: Yes
Pisum sativum
~ planting ~
*Growing Tip
The most important thing to know about growing peas is that they cannot stand hot weather. If you live in a warm climate, fall and even winter planting can be fine. Some southern gardeners sow in fall and let the seeds lie dormant in winter so that they can sprout as early as possible in the spring in order to beat the heat. Remember peas can be planted in early spring and be one of your first crops producing.
When to start inside: Not recommended.
When to sow outside: RECOMMENDED. 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. If planting peas in your soil for the first time, keep in mind that a powder inoculant of beneficial bacteria should coat the seeds. Plant the peas 2" apart and 2" deep in light soil and full sun. For an early spring crop, plant in the same manner in the fall. Peas do not do well when planted near onions or garlic.
Special germination instructions: Soak seed in water for 12 - 24 hours before sowing.
~ growing ~
As the vines begin growing, a trellis will support their climbing habit; any kind of support 5-6' tall should be sufficient. Before they bloom, pea plants need to be kept moist but not wet; after blooming, slightly increase the watering. Remove weeds carefully to avoid disturbing the plants; mulch may be helpful to conserve moisture and control weeds. Mammoth Melting Sugar is wilt resistant, and gives its best yields in cool weather.
~ harvesting ~
Snow 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 result. Mammoth Melting Sugar gives a huge yield, and the quality of the pods holds for a late harvest if necessary.
