Hi Skeeter Magnet,

I don't grow snow peas in my fall garden because our soil temps and air temps tend to stay too hot quite deeply into the fall here in southern Oklahoma.

It can be done, and people do grow them as a fall crop but it is an iffy proposition in our climate. Here are some of the "If's"....

You can grow snow peas in the fall garden,:

IF you can get the seeds to germinate. Snow peas germinate in soil that is anywhere between 32 and 86 degrees With soil at 32 degrees, it will take snow peas about 36 days to emerge. With soil temps at 59 degrees, it will take snow peas about 10 days to emerge. With soil temps at 86 degrees, you will get germination in about 6 days. With soil temps above 86 degrees, you will see little or no snow pea seed germination. (If I wanted to try them for fall, I'll start them indoors in little paper cups filled with a well-drained sterile mix, and move them out into a semi-shady location immediately after they sprout.)

IF you harden them off, gradually exposing them to increased amounts of heat and sunlight.

IF you transplant them gently, keeping in mind that it is still really hot and it wouldn't take much to stress them.
When ready to transplant, I'd plant the paper cup right into the ground, cutting an X into the bottom of the cup so the roots can get down into the soil. Water well at transplanting time and, if possible, provide temporary shade for part of the day for the first 3 to 5 days. This will give the peas a little time to adjust to the stress of being transplanted by giving them a break from the full-day sun.

IF you can keep them watered until the heat backs off in September, you have a good chance of success. Remember that young pea plants rot easily, so don't keep them too wet though.

IF the weather cooperates and doesn't send an early hard frost or killing freeze before plants have time to flower and form peas.

IF you can find seed at this time of the year. A couple of highly-regarded varieties are Norli, Oregon Giant and Oregon Sugar Pod 2.

If you start some peas in the next couple of days, and if all goes well, you ought to get a crop before the first killing freeze. (Well, unless the first killing freeze occurs significantly early.)

If I were trying to grow them this fall, I would mulch the bed very well after the seedlings emerge. As we get deeper into autumn, I would keep a roll of heavy duty plastic, floating row covers, or old bedsheets handy to cover up the plants if an early frost threatens. Often, at least down here in southern Oklahoma, we will have one early hard freeze followed by 5 or 6 more weeks of PERFECT, mild weather, so getting the plants through that one freeze often allows you to keep your garden going into at least Novemeber and sometimes December.

Dawn

Thanks for the info Dawn. With all of the IFs in mind, I think I'll risk the $1.79 for the seeds and give it a try. Worse case scenario, I'll end up with no peas which is exactly where I am right now. :) If everything goes well, I might just get a few good batches of snow peas this fall. I have seen the Oregon Sugar Pod 2 seeds. They seem to be a recommended variety.

I can't imagine the temp going up and down that dramatically in the fall. I mean this is Oklahoma! The weather here is predictable and consistent....er...never mind! ;)

Skeeter,

Our weather is consistent, isn't it? Ha!

I've only lived in Oklahoma for 8 years, and since we moved here, I have seen an early killing frost as early as September 30th (3 different years!) and as late as mid-December. At least gardening is ALWAYS an adventure here, since you never know what will happen.

Good luck with your snow peas.

Dawn

If they do well, I'll have to post some pics later. Hopefully, it will be pics of a basket of peas. If not, oh well......it won't be the first time!

Thanks..