Vegetables for a Sweet Tooth

Gardening: Snow Peas and Carrots Are Easy to Grow and So Delicious They Might Not Make It to the Kitchen

When I was young, I lived across the street from a woman with a large garden. She told me I could eat whatever I wanted, so I took her at her word.

I’d start with the sugar peas, popping the sweet, crisp delicacies into my mouth. Then I’d move to the carrot bed, pulling out the long, crunchy orange vegetables and munching them down. This fresh produce was so satisfying, I didn’t even think about candy—a miracle for a child of eight.

If you’ve never had a snow pea or carrot right out of the garden, you’ve never had a snow pea or carrot. Backyard-grown vegetables far outshine store-bought varieties. Thanks to our mild Southern California weather, snow peas and carrots flourish in the fall, winter, and spring.

Also known as sugar peas, snow peas are expensive in stores—but they’re easy and cost-effective to grow at home.

Snow Peas: Easy and Rewarding

“Snow peas are almost a foolproof crop,” says Stan Tinkle of the California Organic Gardening Club. “They’re tasty—especially stir-fried with sprouts—if they make it back into the house. Often I eat them right in the garden.”

Types of Snow Peas

  • Bush Peas: Shorter and don’t require support.
  • Climbing Peas: Can grow up to 6 feet and require a trellis.

How to Grow Snow Peas

  1. Soil Preparation: Use well-drained soil. Amend clay soil with compost or planting mix.
  2. Seed Prep: Soak seeds in warm water for 6–12 hours to speed germination.
  3. Planting: Sow seeds 1–2 inches deep, spaced 4–6 inches apart.

Protecting Young Plants

  • Cover seedlings with netting or row cover to deter birds.
  • Watch for pests: sow bugs, snails, cutworms, caterpillars, and slugs.
  • Use paper collars or BT-based products like Attack and Dipel.
  • Sprinkle wood ash around plants for pest control.

Trellising for Climbers

Use chicken wire, wood fencing, or netting like Ross Grownet. Tinkle uses 8-foot wire tubes for individual pea plants.

Fertilizing and Watering Snow Peas

  • Apply fertilizer two weeks after planting.
  • Alternatively, use slow-release fertilizer (e.g., chicken manure or blood meal) 8 inches deep before planting.
  • Water regularly but avoid overwatering to prevent root rot.
  • Never water from overhead to avoid mildew.

If mildew appears, spray a mixture of fine ground sulfur and water (1 tsp per quart) after sunset, and rinse off in the morning.

Carrots: Crisp, Sweet, and Best When Homegrown

Store-bought carrots can’t compare to homegrown ones. You won’t find carrot plants in nurseries—they must be started from seed.

Preparing the Soil

“Before planting, do a really good job of preparing your carrot bed,” says Nola Skyler. Hard soil leads to stunted, dry carrots. Raised beds are ideal. Otherwise, work compost or planting mix into your soil.

Preparing and Planting Seeds

  • Soak seeds in hot water or microwave briefly to soften the seed hull.
  • Mix seeds with sand or vermiculite for even distribution.
  • Use a saltshaker or seed tape for easier planting.
  • Plant seeds 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep.
  • Cover with newspaper to protect from water runoff and ensure moisture.

Watering for Germination

Keep soil consistently moist. Germination typically occurs within 1 to 3 weeks.

Addressing Alkaline Soil

According to Mike Graupner, Southern California’s alkaline water (pH 8) hinders carrot germination. Carrots prefer a pH of 6.5.

To lower pH:

  • Add ½–1 cup vinegar to a 33-gallon trash can filled with water.
  • Use a pool test kit to check pH.
  • Use rainwater or plant radishes nearby, which naturally release mild acid.

Thinning and Fertilizing Carrots

  • Thin carrots when 2–3 inches tall using hand-pulling, a rake, or by harvesting baby carrots.
  • Fertilize regularly with compost, fish emulsion, or high-phosphorus organic fertilizer.

Watering Tips

  • Some experts recommend watering only when needed to encourage deep roots.
  • Others suggest maintaining even soil moisture for healthy growth.

Harvesting Carrots

Carrots can be harvested at any size and left in the ground until needed—but use them within 3 months to avoid drying out.

Julie Bawden-Davis

Julie Bawden-Davis is a bestselling journalist, novelist, blogger, and YouTuber. A prolific author, Julie writes in several genres. She enjoys creating page-turning suspense served up with a dose of romance, garden books that turn any brown thumb green, and spiritual books meant to enlighten and inspire. Widely published, Julie has written 45 books and more than 4,000 articles for a wide variety of national and international publications. She lives in Southern California, where she enjoys sunny, blue skies most days and year-round gardening. Julie gains inspiration from being surrounded by plants when she writes.