Key takeaways
- Ambassador is a reliable all-round shelling pea
- Kelvedon Wonder is a compact early pea for your first sowing
- Hurst Green Shaft has long pods packed with peas
- Carouby de Maussane and Oregon Sugar Pod are top mangetout picks
- Delikett is a crisp sugar snap that can also be left to shell
- Terrain is a good late pea, as it stands up well to mildew
Peas lose their sweetness soon after picking, which is why home-grown ones taste so good. Pick the wrong variety, though, and you might end up with one short, mildewy glut.
The trick is to grow a few kinds. An early pea, a maincrop and an edible-pod pea spread out your picking and give you different textures.
Which pea varieties are best for UK gardens?
Ambassador is a great all-round shelling pea, and Delikett is a top edible-pod choice. Kelvedon Wonder is the one to sow first.
| Variety | Type | Height | First picking | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kelvedon Wonder | Early shelling | 45-60cm | About 12 weeks | Earliest sweet peas, small plots |
| Ambassador | Maincrop shelling | 75-90cm | 14-16 weeks | Reliable all-rounder |
| Hurst Green Shaft | Maincrop shelling | 90-120cm | 14-16 weeks | Long, well-filled pods |
| Carouby de Maussane | Mangetout | 150-180cm | 12-14 weeks | Big flat pods |
| Oregon Sugar Pod | Mangetout | 75-90cm | 12-14 weeks | Easier to support |
| Delikett | Sugar snap | About 60cm | 12-14 weeks | Crisp whole pods |
| Terrain | Late shelling | 75-90cm | 14-16 weeks | Last sowing |
These timings are a rough guide. Cold soil slows them down, and a warm spring speeds them up.
Shelling peas, mangetout and sugar snaps give you different harvests. Try at least two.
What is the best all-round shelling pea?
Ambassador is a great maincrop shelling pea for a normal veg bed.
The plants grow to about 75-90cm and need netting or twiggy sticks. Ambassador stands up well to powdery mildew and other diseases, so it keeps cropping as summer goes on.
Sow from March to June in small batches rather than one long row. Sow 5cm deep and 7.5cm apart in a flat-bottomed trench. Put the supports in straight away, as doing it later damages the shallow roots.
Once the pods feel full, pick every two or three days. Shell and eat them soon, as the sugar starts turning to starch after picking.
Our pea growing guide covers sowing, supports, watering and when to pick.
Which pea gives the earliest crop?
Kelvedon Wonder is a sweet early pea for a small plot. It starts cropping about 12 weeks after sowing in decent spring weather.
The plants are short and need only low sticks or 60cm mesh. That makes them easy to cover with fleece during a late cold snap.
Kelvedon Wonder has wrinkled seed, which means sweeter peas. Wrinkled seed doesn’t like cold, wet soil, though, so wait until the bed has drained before sowing.
For really cold ground, Meteor is tougher. Its round seed copes with early sowing better, but the peas aren’t as sweet.
Sow Kelvedon Wonder first, then Ambassador three weeks later. That simple pairing spreads your harvest nicely.
Short early peas are easy to cover with fleece. Take it off once they flower.
Which pea produces the biggest pods?
Hurst Green Shaft is the one for long pods packed with peas. A single pod can hold up to 11 peas.
The plants grow to about 90-120cm and get top-heavy in wind. Use netting fixed to sturdy stakes rather than loose pea sticks, and keep the bottom tight so shoots don’t flop onto the path.
Big pods can turn starchy if left too long. Check them daily in warm weather and pick when they’re full but still bright green.
Hurst Green Shaft is a favourite for village show pea classes too. Even, well-filled pods with a fresh bloom matter more than sheer length.
Our show-pea guide covers double rows, watering, what judges look for and how to pick matching pods.
What are the best mangetout varieties?
Carouby de Maussane is a great tall mangetout, and Oregon Sugar Pod is easier to manage.
Carouby de Maussane climbs to about 1.5-1.8m, with broad flat pods and pretty purple flowers. Grow it where a tall, sturdy support can stay put all summer.
Oregon Sugar Pod usually stays under 1m, so it suits windy plots and smaller frames. Pick the pods while they’re still flat, before the peas swell.
Pick mangetout every two days. One hidden, old pod can slow down new flowers. Hold the stem with one hand and pull the pod with the other so you don’t tear the plant.
For more on edible pods, see our guide to growing mangetout and sugarsnaps.
Tall Carouby needs a strong frame. Shorter Oregon Sugar Pod is easier on small or windy plots.
What is the best sugar snap pea?
Delikett is a great all-round sugar snap, with crisp pods over a long picking season.
The plants grow to about 60cm and fit low mesh. Pick the pods whole when they’re plump but still snap cleanly. Let the last ones swell for shelling, so nothing goes to waste.
Sugar snaps have fat, juicy pods, while mangetout pods stay flat. Both are less work than shelling peas, as you eat the whole pod.
Delikett holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Cascadia and Sugar Ann are good alternatives, and Sugar Ann is especially early.
If you tend to munch them raw in the garden, grow plenty. They vanish fast!
Which pea is best for a late sowing?
Terrain is a safer late pea because it stands up well to powdery mildew. Mildew gets worse on older plants in warm, dry weather.
Sow Terrain from late May into June for picking in late summer. Don’t go much into July unless your autumns are usually mild.
Give late peas a bit more space and keep them watered. A 5cm layer of compost keeps the roots cool. Water deeply once the pods start to fill.
Pea moth can be a nuisance on summer crops. The moths lay eggs while peas are flowering, and the caterpillars end up inside the pods. Early crops often escape because they’ve finished flowering before the moths arrive.
Our pea moth guide explains timing and how to dodge them. The pea and bean weevil guide covers notched seedling leaves.
Late sowings need a pea that stands up to mildew, as older plants are more prone to it.
A three-sowing plan for twelve weeks of peas
Three short rows, sown a few weeks apart, can keep you picking through much of the summer.
Sow Kelvedon Wonder first. Sow Ambassador three weeks later, then Delikett three weeks after that. At 7.5cm apart, a 2m row holds about 26 plants. Sow a few extra seeds to fill any gaps.
Kelvedon Wonder should start cropping around 12 weeks. Ambassador follows about 14-16 weeks after its own sowing. Then Delikett takes over, with lots of whole-pod picking.
Put sturdy supports in on sowing day. Our hazel pea-stick guide shows how to make them from winter prunings.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best pea variety to grow in the UK?
Ambassador is a great all-round shelling pea for most UK gardens. It crops reliably and copes well with powdery mildew and other diseases. Kelvedon Wonder is earlier.
What is the sweetest garden pea variety?
Kelvedon Wonder is lovely and sweet when picked young. Hurst Green Shaft and Ambassador taste great straight after picking too. Pick before the peas get big and starchy.
Which pea variety is best for an early crop?
Kelvedon Wonder is a great compact early pea. Meteor, with round seeds, copes better with cold early sowings, but it isn’t as sweet.
What is the best mangetout variety?
Carouby de Maussane is a tall mangetout with big, tasty pods. Oregon Sugar Pod is shorter and easier to support. Both are great choices.
What is the best sugar snap pea?
Delikett is a great all-round sugar snap. Its crisp pods keep coming if you pick often. Leave the last pods to swell if you want peas for shelling.
Our team produces practical UK gardening guidance from source research, contributor records and established horticultural practice. Editorial standards are overseen by Matt W.
