When to Plant Snow Peas in Alice Springs, Arid / Semi-Arid Guide

Sow April to August. Right now in September it is out of season. The next sowing month is April.

Also called mangetout, sugar snap peas.

Published · Last reviewed · By Garden Buddy
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Snow Peas guide is written for the Arid / Semi-Arid zone, which takes in Alice Springs, Broken Hill and Port Augusta. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Snow peas (mangetout, sugar peas, Chinese peas) are a cool-season legume grown for flat, edible pods eaten before peas develop. Like garden peas, fundamentally cool-season crops that fail in heat. Higher edible yield per plant than shelling peas since the entire pod is eaten.

Planting Calendar for Arid / Semi-Arid

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- - - S S/T/D S/T/D T/D T - - - -

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

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Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 22.7°C (optimal range: 8–24°C) ✓ Ready to plant

Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Alice Springs), not a live sensor.

How to Grow Snow Peas in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia

When to Plant

March to June.

Soil
Well-drained, moderately fertile. Do not over-enrich with nitrogen.
pH Range
6.0-7.5
Sunlight
Full sun to light shade.
Spacing
8cm apart, 60cm between rows
Watering
Keep evenly moist especially during flowering and pod production. Water at base.

Companion plants: Carrot, Turnip, Radish, Lettuce

Avoid planting near: Onion, Garlic, Shallot

Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Snow Peas

Recommended Varieties

  • Oregon Giant
  • Mammoth Melting

Key Challenges

  • Dry air, high water needs
  • Short window

Pro Tips

  • Drip irrigation
  • Heavy mulch
  • Morning sun, afternoon shade

Harvesting Snow Peas

When ready: Pods flat, translucent green, peas inside barely visible. Snap crisply.

How to harvest: Pick with two hands. Hold stem, snap pod. Pick every 2 days minimum.

Worth growing?

A 2.4 m × 1.2 m bed fits 26 plants, about $105 worth at today’s Aldi, Coles and Woolworths prices, checked today.

That is roughly 5 kg at $20.22 a kilo.

Draw your snow peas bed → No account needed.

Where to next

What snow peas costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.

Also worth sowing in the arid and semi-arid zone this September: Ginger, Chilli Peppers, Lemongrass and Beetroot.

The pest most likely to find your snow peas: Botrytis / Grey Mould.

Supermarket Price

Current average retail: $20.22/kg (12-month range: $11.96–$27.60)

Grow your own and save on grocery bills.

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Common Questions About Snow Peas

When do you plant snow peas in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Does snow peas grow all year round in Alice Springs?

No. In the Arid / Semi-Arid zone the planting months are Apr to Aug. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.

What else is snow peas called?

Snow peas is the usual Australian name. Overseas seed packets and recipes call it mangetout, sugar snap peas. Same plant, same growing advice.

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Arid / Semi-Arid zone, Alice Springs is its reference city.