The 3 Different Types of Peas You Can Grow

Peas are fantastic vegetables to grow in a small garden. As a vertically climbing crop, they work well in a vertical vegetable garden. They produce lots of attractive flowers, plus fresh peas are such a delicious addition to endless recipes!

However, as you start browsing seeds and plug plants, you’ll come across 3 different types of peas. Some have edible pods and others don’t. So how do you choose which peas you’d like to grow?

What are the 3 different types of peas?

There are 3 main types of peas: Shelling peas, snap peas, and snow peas. They can often be known by different names depending on the gardening book you’re reading or the person you’re talking to. So we’ve listed the 3 main pea types below and their other common names.

Each pea category has a wide range of varieties for you to choose from. So to help you decide which peas to grow, we’ve listed each pea type and some of our favorite varieties. All are perfect for growing in a mini garden space.

1. Shelling peas

Also known as English peas, shelled peas.

As their name suggests, shelling peas are best for shelling! The pods are considered inedible, as they can be large, tough, and stringy. The peas inside however are renowned for their delicious sweetness. 

They’re perfect as a classic side dish when buttered and they’re also fantastic in fresh summer salads. Pea shelling can be a slow but extremely rewarding process. It’s also a great activity to keep children busy in the summer! Shelling peas are lovely vegetables to grow in containers on the patio for children to pick.

Some of our favorite shelling pea varieties:

• Alaska shelling: A very early variety great for cooler climates.
• Purple podded: Deep purple pods filled with succulent peas.
• Tom Thumb: A compact pea that’s great for indoor windowsill vegetable gardens
• Garden sweet: A classic variety with fantastic yields and deliciously sweet peas.

2. Snap Peas

Also known as sugar snap peas.

Often a firm gardener’s favorite. Snap peas produce full, rounded peas however unlike shelling peas, they have edible pods. The pods are so crisp that they’re supposed to audibly ‘snap’ if you break them in half.

They’re ideal for adding into a stir fry for delicious flavor and crisp texture. Any pea varieties that mention ‘snap’ in the name, are almost always snap peas.

Some of our favorite snap pea varieties:

• Super Snappy: Large tasty pods and a strong climber.
• Super Sugar Snap: High yield of sweet pods and peas.
• Sugar Ann: Produces pods quickly and is a past AAS (All America Selections) winner.
• Sugar Magnolia: A pea with pretty pods that are deep purple!

3. Snow Peas

Also known as Sugar peas.

Snow peas also have an edible pod that is usually quite flat. These are the peas most commonly used in a stir fry. In France, they’re known as ‘mangetout’ which translates as ‘eat-all’. Many snap peas are also called mangetout too.

These peas are usually harvested before they reach full maturity. The pods and peas are more tender and sweet at this stage.

Some of our favorite snow pea varieties:

• Oregon sugar pod: Wide pods on a medium-length vine that reaches approx. 26 inches.
• Avalanche: Delicious pods produced in abundance. Often in double sets.
• Green Beauty: Large, crisp pods, and beautiful cream and purple flowers.
• Snowbird pea: One of the most popular dwarf pea varieties

Tips for growing peas

To make the most of your garden space and harvesting time we’ve gathered some of the best pea growing tips below:

• Peas can tolerate the cool weather at the beginning of spring, so start them early. Basically, as soon as you can get a fork or spade into the ground!
• To maximize your yield, grow an early and late variety to make the most of the growing season.
• Peas fix nitrogen in the soil, so you don’t need a fertilizer with high nitrogen. Instead, opt for one with higher phosphorus levels.
• Peas will need vertical supports as they like to climb.
• Harvest them regularly to keep them producing!

Featured Image: Photo by Tom Jur on Unsplash