Jennie, I can't help with your climate questions, but snap peas are wonderful fresh. Since you've never grown them before, you could always start small and see what you think before committing a large space to them. But if you've got the space available, definitely go for it. (As for the weather, if you're only talking a couple dollars for a packet of seeds, try it and see what you get -- if they don't grow well, save the rest of the pack for late winter/early spring and see if that works better.) As far as support, I've grown dwarf snap peas in containers with an inexpensive tomato cage (the flimsy WM kind) in the middle to help get them started. They do cling to each other, but they also cling to the wire cage and I think this helps them withstand wind a bit better. For harvesting, snap peas are eaten whole -- you eat both the pod and the peas inside, all at once. The pods are nice and crunchy when raw. You can also add them to stir-frys or just steam them as a side dish. We tend to mostly eat them raw in our house. They are one of those "pick a handful while out in the garden and eat half of them before you get back to the kitchen" kind of veggies. :) Good luck! Kathy

I posted something about snow peas over on the veggie forum......forgetting you guys were here! I can't say for sure that this is your problem too, but I have problems with mice eating all my pea seeds.....and then it looks like they don't germinate. Those boogers! So many years ago, I figured out that if I presprout them in the house (takes about 3 days), and plant the presprouted ones, the mice left them alone. But recently, they are eating those presprouted ones too. So this year I'm going to try to outsmart them, and place scrunched up chicken wire in the trench where I plant the peas, cover with a little soil, plant the seeds, then cover with more soil. HOpefully they can't reach the seeds then. Even if you don't have mice......you should try presprouting them. I think that will help.

i tried Sugar Sprint this year which is smaller and not as delicious as Super Sugar Snap but is only about 2 or 3 feet tall and stringless. i like to let SSS get really fat before harvest, is it just me or do they seem to get sweeter that way? The pods must be strung at any age but it is so much easier to string a fresh pea. queenofthemountain, did you get to taste any of the Sugar Snaps to compare to Super Sugar Snap? i have heard others say the taste is better? But also what your experience confirms, no resistance to PM. i was suprised to discover that snap peas come in yellow and purple. i know Sylvia grew some Golden Sweet snow peas recently and i just received some Opal Creek and Sugar Magnolia seeds. Anyone else trying any of the colored podded peas?

Thanks, guys! I ended up being gone most of the day so didn't get to do much more searching. Seedmama, I'm with you! As Carol mentioned, I was only there to throw my children to the lions, er, the Mississippi. The three oldest boys did it and, together, raised over $1,000 -- all going to benefit the Special Olympics. Two of the boys are also in the middle of a Klondike campout with their Boy Scout troop this weekend. They slept out in 20* weather last night and again tonight, got snowed & iced on, and still managed to do the Plunge. I was so proud -- and cold! (I'll link the blog post with the videos below.) Hubby and I were having a little marital smack talk while waiting for the boys to change out of their wet clothes. He suggested that he and I do it next year. He'd be a caveman and he, being a chivalrous fella, would be so kind as to drag me, his cavewoman, in & out of the water by my hair. Long story short, I told him I was in as long as he promised to wear a loin cloth -- and nothing else. And wouldn't you know it? There were witnesses. Witnesses who are on the staff of the event and also happen to know us -- our names & where we live. We will be held to this. So, by this time next year, I'll have changed my identity and moved to a different country. Diane Here is a link that might be useful: Polar Plunge