Sowing Mangetout and Sugar Snap Peas

This year, I’ve decided to switch things up a little with my pea growing. Instead of the usual varieties, I’m focusing on mangetout, along with another favourite returning for a second year — the purple magnolia sugar snap peas, grown again from my own saved seed.

There’s something especially satisfying about sowing seeds you’ve saved yourself. It feels like the allotment coming full circle, and I’m looking forward to seeing how this year’s plants perform.

To give everything the best possible start, I always begin with a bit of seed preparation. Before sowing, I soak the seeds in water for around 24 hours. It’s a simple step, but one that really helps kickstart germination by softening the seed coat and getting things moving more quickly once they’re planted.

Rather than sowing directly into the ground, I’ve gone with a method that’s worked well for me — planting the seeds in lengths of guttering. It might look a bit unconventional, but it’s incredibly practical. The seeds can be spaced nicely in a straight line, and when the seedlings are ready, the whole row can be gently slid out into a prepared trench with minimal disturbance to the roots.

I have suspending the guttering up in the greenhouse. The reason? Mice. In previous seasons, I’ve lost more seeds than I’d like to admit to them digging things up before they even get going. In fact the mouse ended up with a name, Mr Peabody! But by raising the guttering off the ground, I’m hoping to keep the seeds safely out of reach and give them a fighting chance.

When it comes to planting out, I’ve already got a plan in place. The purple magnolia sugar snap peas will be grown along a fence, using some netting that I’ve stapled to posts to give them plenty of support as they climb. It’s a simple and effective setup, and it worked well for me last year.

The mangetout will be grown slightly differently, between two posts where I’ll be weaving a bird-friendly netting across for them to climb. I’ve made a point of ensuring the netting is safe for wildlife — the size of the gaps is chosen so birds won’t fly into it and get caught, which is really important to me when setting up the plot.

So now it’s a bit of a waiting game. The soaked seeds are in place, the guttering is hanging neatly in the greenhouse, and everything is set for germination. With a bit of luck, I’ll soon have strong, healthy seedlings ready to plant out.

It’s always a balance between trying new ideas and refining what’s worked before. This feels like a good mix of both — a new crop in the mangetout, alongside the reliable return of the purple magnolia sugar snaps.

Here’s hoping Mr Peabody stays away and the growing season gets off to a strong start.

Sue

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