Sugar Snap Peas a Sweet Nutritious Treat

Snap peas have a plump edible pod filled with seeds and can be eaten fresh or cooked.

The Sugar Snap variety is a 1979 All-America Selections winner that helped convert many reluctant pea eaters, myself included, into fans. The earlier ripening Sugar Ann produces exceptionally sweet and crisp edible podded peas on 18-inch plants.

The next winner was Patio Pride. This compact variety produces tender pods in just 40 days. The 18- to 24-inch plants are the perfect size for containers.

The latest All-America Selections winning edible snap pea is Snak Hero. Its 4-inch pods look like a green bean but have the sweet taste of a snap pea. The 18- to 24-inch vines can be grown in the garden or container with or without support.

A bit more information: Snap peas grow and produce best in cooler temperatures. Their relatively short season allows most gardeners to make spring and fall plantings.