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OTHER PEA PAGES
The main considerations when choosing pea plant varieties (in order of importance) are;
We put this at the top of list when selecting pea varieties because the taller varieties (known as climbers), require much more preparation as far as supporting the plants is concerned, compared to the dwarf varieties.
Climbing pea plants can easily grow to 180cm / 5ft high and plants of that height will cast a large shadow which will affect the plants that are suited to be grown on the shaded side.
Dwarf pea varieties on the other hand tend to grow to an eventual height of 50cm to 70cm tall and require far less support and cast a much smaller shadow.
Study the write-ups of the pea varieties carefully to ensure their eventual height is as you expect.
Shelling / garden varieties of peas are the more traditional varieties. They produce full sized peas which need their shells removed to get at the peas. The peas can then be cooked with the hard and bitter shells being discarded, preferably onto your compost heap.
Mangetout / Sugarsnap pea varieties on the other hand do not need their shells removed before cooking. Both peas and the shells are normally eaten together.
Mangetout peas (often called snow peas) have a flat appearance with very little sign of the peas forming inside. The peas and skin are very tender and they have a mild taste.
Mangetout peas
Sugar snap peas have a fuller appearance to allow for slightly more bulky peas in side the skins. They taste sweeter than mangetout peas and have a crunchier texture. These are often not available in supermarkets but, in our opinion, sugar snap peas are a delicacy which surpass both garden peas and mangetout peas.
Sugarsnap peas
Most mangetout and sugarsnap peas have skins which are green but not all, some of them have purple or yellow skins.
Whatever type of pea variety you choose, they are very tasty and nutritious.
Pea plants take between 12 weeks to 16 weeks from planting to harvest depending on the variety. Mangetout pea varieties can be harvested slightly earlier, around 10 weeks if you prefer them to be really tender.
As far as reaching maturity is concerned, pea varieties are classified as first early, second early or maincrop.
Not frequently grown by gardeners in the UK, Marrowfat peas take around five months to reach maturity.
Different varieties of garden peas have different taste characteristics I am sure, however my taste buds are not refined enough to notice significant differences. Additionally I have never been told by any friends, family or gardening associates that any particular variety of pea tastes better than any other.
So I feel confident in saying that other factors affect the taste of peas far more than the variety of pea plant. The time of harvest, soil and water conditions while the plants are growing are key factors. Even more important are how the peas are harvested and stored before consumption.
There is little hard evidence of one pea variety being more pest or disease resistant than others although many claims are made. Barrier methods of protection, and time of sowing seeds are much more reliable methods for helping your pea plants resist pests and diseases.
As far as I know (and I am willing to be proven wrong) all pea varieties with purple / black coloured shells turn green when cooked.
When the peas are forming in the pea plants, the purple / black shells add a burst of colour which many find attractive. The colouring also has another advantage, especially amongst the almost flat mangetout varieties. This is that the pea pods can be easily identified amongst a sea of green leaves and stems. Harvesting is much easier.
The above paragraphs give general advice when selecting particular varieties of peas. Click here for our page on specific recommended pea varieties which we have refined over 40 years of gardening.
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