When to Plant Snow Peas in Sydney, Warm Temperate Guide

Sow March to September. Right now in September you can sow.

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 Warm Temperate zone, which takes in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs 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 Warm Temperate

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

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

Want a nudge when it is Snow Peas sowing time in Sydney?

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Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 17.0°C (optimal range: 8–24°C) ✓ Ready to plant

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

How to Grow Snow Peas in Warm Temperate Australia

When to Plant

March to August. Excellent zone.

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

Warm Temperate Growing Tips for Snow Peas

Recommended Varieties

  • Oregon Giant
  • Mammoth Melting
  • Yakumo Giant
  • Oregon Sugar Pod

Key Challenges

  • Powdery mildew late season
  • Aphids spring

Pro Tips

  • Succession sow every 3 weeks
  • Trellis for airflow and easy picking
  • Pick every 2 days for maximum yield

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.

Common Snow Peas Pests in Warm Temperate Zones

Aphids and Powdery Mildew, risk: MODERATE (score: 44/100)

Organic prevention: Avoid excess nitrogen.

View all pest alerts →

Where to next

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

Also worth sowing in the warm temperate zone this September: Ginger, Beetroot, Chilli Peppers and Cucumber.

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 Sydney?

No. In the Warm Temperate zone the planting months are Mar to Sep. 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 Warm Temperate zone, Sydney is its reference city.