Varieties of Peas - What's the Difference?
There are lots of varieties of peas available to the backyard vegetable gardener. They vary in sweetness and size. Additionally, some pea varieties mature much earlier than others. Some seed companies today even sell several pea varieties in one seed packet. This can be a great way to try out several varieties without spending a ton of money or taking up too much space in your garden.
We've tried several different varieties of peas and have our favorites. We encourage you to try several different kinds and found out which variety of pea is your favorite. Here is a list of some common varieties of peas, along with plant and pod descriptions, etc...
Please keep in mind that the number of "days until ready to be picked" is usually counted after the seeds have germinated. Pea seeds take around a week to germinate in warm soil and can take up to a month in cool soil.
Garden Peas - These are traditional varieties of peas, the pod is inedible, the peas must be removed from the pod before eating
- Spring - this variety is ready in 60 days, moderately sweet flavor, very prolific producer with lots of pods per plant, pods average 6-7 plump green peas each, vines reach 2 feet tall
- Survivor - this variety of pea is almost a leafless plant, very stringy vines cling closely together, plant reaches 2 feet tall, each pod averages 8 peas, ready in 70 days, moderately sweet
- Thomas Laxton - this variety is ready in 60 days, pods average 8-9 large dark green peas that are very plump, pods average 4 inches long, vines reach to 3 feet tall, moderately sweet
- Wando - this variety is very popluar, tolerates warm weather and cold weather nicely, ready in 70 days, dark green pods average 7-8 medium-sized peas each, good for freezing or drying, moderately sweet, plants reach 2 1/2 feet tall, good choice for fall pea crop
- Garden Sweet - this variety of pea is extra sweet, ready in 75 days, pods average 3 1/2" long, each pod contains 9 -10 medium-sized peas, one of the best tasting garden pea varieties
- Mr. Big - this prize-winning variety is ready in 60 days, large dark green pods, each pod averages 9-10 extra-large peas, plants reach 4 feet tall, moderately sweet
Snow Peas - Otherwise known as sugar peas, these varieties of peas feature flat pods that are sweet and edible, the peas are very tiny, can be eaten raw or cooked, traditional in stir-fry
- Snowbird - this variety is ready in 60 days, short plants only reach 18" tall, pods average 3" long, prolific producer, pods set on plant in groups of 2-3, moderately sweet
- Gray Sugar - this variety is ready in 65 days, traditional snow pea, tender pods average 3" long, plants reach 18" tall, moderately sweet
- Sugar Daddy - this variety of peas features vines that reach 2 feet tall, ready in 75 days, good disease resistance, pods average 3" long, sweet and tender
- Oregon Sugar Pods - this variety is ready in 70 days, prolific producer, plants reach 2 1/2 feet tall, pods average 4 1/2" long, disease resistant, very sweet and tender
- Mammoth Melting Sugar - this heirloom variety features very tall vines that reach 4-5 feet tall, ready in 70 days, huge pods average 5 1/2" long, pods are thick, holds up very well to longer cooking methods, sweet flavor
- Oregon Sugar Pod #2 - this variety is ready in 70 days, pods average 4" long, plants reach 2 1/2 feet tall, prolific producer, good disease resistance, usually 2 pods per group, very sweet and tender
- Avalanche - this snow pea variety produces huge dark green pods reaching 6" long, sweet and tender, ready in 60 days, disease resistant, prolific producer, plants reach 3 feet tall
Snap Peas - These varieties of peas have an edible pod and tend to be very sweet, can be eaten raw or cooked, pods are generally plump and rounded
- Sugar Bon - this pea variety is ready in 55 days, very sweet pods average 3" long, plants reach 2 feet tall, disease resistant
- Sugar Snap - this prize-winning variety features 3" long pods, very sweet, classic snap pea variety, vines reach 6 feet tall, prolific producer
- Super Snappy - this variety of peas is available only from the Burpee Seed Company, very large pods are ready in 65 days, extra sweet and crisp, each pod averages 9 peas, vines reach 3 feet tall, some disease resistance
- Super Sugar Snap VP - this pea variety is ready in 65 days, sweeter than the original sugar snap variety, prolific producer, very disease resistant, plants reach 5-6 feet tall, averages 3" long pods
- Sugar Ann - this variety of peas is ready in 55 days, very sweet and crisp, plants reach 2 feet tall, disease resistant, pods average 7 peas each
We hope you've enjoyed learning about different varieties of peas. They really taste great if you grow them yourself. Click on the following links to learn more about growing your own peas.
Click here to learn about planting peas
Click here for information about fertilizing and watering peas
Click here to learn about harvesting peas
Click here for some of our favorite pea recipes
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