What's the difference between mangetout and sugar snap peas?

Both are edible-podded peas eaten whole, but the pods are different. Mangetout (eat-all): flat, thin pods 5–8 cm long, eaten when pod is young and peas inside are tiny lumps. If left to mature the pod gets stringy. Sugar snap: fatter, rounder, fuller pods 5–7 cm, eaten when fully filled out — still sweet and crunchy, never tough. Sugar snaps are newer to UK gardens (1970s/80s) and very popular; mangetout has been grown in Britain for centuries. Both crop similarly and can be sown together.

When can I pick mangetout?

6–8 weeks after sowing, depending on conditions and variety. Pick when pods are 5–7 cm long, flat, and peas inside are tiny lumps — not when the pods feel full. Pick at least every 2–3 days during the cropping window; mangetout left on the plant beyond peak go stringy AND the plant stops flowering. The more you pick, the more they produce rule applies more strongly to mangetout than almost any other vegetable.

Why are my mangetout going stringy and tough?

Picked too late. Pods get stringy and the side-strings (along the seam) get fibrous within a few days of reaching peak. Solution: pick more often, even daily during peak production. Stringy pods can still be eaten if you strip the strings off the seam first (run a knife under each end and pull the string off). Sugar snap varieties are bred to be stringless even when fully filled out — consider switching if stringy mangetout is a recurring issue.

How tall do mangetout grow?

1.5–2 m for tall varieties like Oregon Sugar Pod and the traditional sugar snap. Compact varieties like Half Pint and Sugar Ann grow 75 cm to 1 m — good for small gardens or container culture. Always provide support before sowing — pea netting, hazel sticks, or wire trellis — set up to the variety's expected height. Without support, mangetout sprawl flat and rot in damp weather.

Can I grow mangetout in a pot?

Yes — use a compact variety. Choose Half Pint (60 cm dwarf), Sugar Ann (compact 75 cm), or Tom Thumb (50 cm). Use a 40 cm pot of peat-free compost. Sow 5–6 seeds per pot, set up a 1 m support (a wigwam of canes works well). Water daily once cropping starts. One pot gives a few weeks of pickings; sow a fresh pot every 3 weeks for continuous supply.

Why didn't my mangetout germinate?

Three common causes. (1) Soil too cold: mangetout seeds rot in soil below 7°C. Wait until soil warms (mid-March in south, April further north), or pre-warm soil under cloches. (2) Mice ate the seeds: dig down where you sowed; if seeds are missing, mice have taken them. Resow with paraffin-soaked seeds or in a covered drill. (3) Old seed: pea seed loses viability after 2–3 years; use fresh packets each year.

Mangetout — Grow

Mangetout

Pisum sativum var. saccharatum

vegetable

About

Sow mangetout direct from March to July, in sun in well-drained soil — they're an edible-podded variant of the garden pea, eaten whole including the soft, sugary, immature pod before the seeds inside have filled out. Mangetout (literally "eat-all") are hardy (RHS H4–H5) but the seedlings dislike cold wet soil — wait until soil is at least 7°C in spring, or sow under cloches. Pick the pods young and flat (5–7 cm) while the peas inside are still tiny; left longer the pods get tough and stringy. Successional sowing every 3 weeks keeps fresh tender pods coming from June to September. Distinct from sugar snap peas (rounder fatter pods, also eaten whole — slightly later UK introduction). Both need a 1.5–2 m support — pea netting, twigs, or wire — and protection from pea moth and pigeons.

How to grow mangetout

1
Choose mangetout or sugar snap
Mangetout: flat thin pods 5–8 cm long, eaten whole when the pod is young and the peas are still tiny. Oregon Sugar Pod is the UK standard. Tender, sweet, classic. Sugar snap: fatter rounder pods 5–7 cm, eaten whole when fully filled out (still soft, still sweet, never tough). Sugar Ann, Sugar Snap, Cascadia. Slightly newer to UK gardens, very popular. For a first crop, Oregon Sugar Pod mangetout — reliable, no stringy issue, easy to pick at the right moment.
2
Sow direct, March to July
Wait until soil is 7°C or warmer (mid-March in southern England, late March–April in the Midlands and north). Cold wet soil = poor germination. Make a flat-bottomed drill 5 cm deep, 15 cm wide; sow seeds 5–8 cm apart in two staggered rows along the drill. Cover with soil, water lightly. Germination in 10–14 days.
3
Sow successionally every 3 weeks
The key to continuous mangetout. A single mangetout sowing crops heavily for 3–4 weeks then declines. Sow a fresh short row every 3 weeks from late March until early July, and you'll have tender pods from June through September. Don't sow after late July — heat causes mildew and the autumn pods get tough.
4
Provide a 1.5–2 m support before sowing
Mangetout climb by tendrils and need something to grip. Set up support before sowing — easier than retro-fitting around growing plants. Options: pea netting stretched on canes (cheapest, easiest); hazel twigs and pea sticks (traditional, beautiful); wire trellis. The plants grow 1.5–2 m tall.
5
Protect seedlings from pigeons and mice
Mice eat the seeds before germination — soak seeds in paraffin briefly before sowing, or set humane traps. Pigeons eat the emerging seedlings in March–April. Cover the sown drill with horticultural fleece or chicken wire until the plants are 15 cm tall (past the pigeon-eating stage).
6
Water consistently when flowering and podding
Mangetout drop flowers and produce stringy pods in dry conditions. Once flowering starts (May–June): water deeply once or twice a week in dry spells. Mulch with garden compost in spring to conserve moisture. Pot-grown mangetout need daily watering once cropping.
7
Pick young and pick often
The most important harvest rule. Pick when pods are 5–7 cm long, flat, and the peas inside are still tiny lumps. Left longer: pods get tough, stringy, and the plant stops producing new flowers. Pick at least every 2–3 days during cropping — daily during peak. The more you pick the more they produce. Cooked: 2 minutes blanched, or eaten raw in salads.
8
Watch for pea moth, mildew, and aphids
Pea moth (Cydia nigricana): tiny caterpillars inside pods, June–July. Use pheromone moth traps in flowering rows from mid-May. Powdery mildew: white powder on leaves, usually late summer/heat-stressed plants. Improve airflow, water at the base, accept that late sowings often get mildewed. Pea aphids: leaf damage, occasional virus transmission. Encourage hoverflies and ladybirds; spray with horticultural soap if severe.

Common questions

The mangetout year in your garden

Dispatching imaginary bots to check your garden out...

What to do now

Hardiness Zones

H1a (tender)H7 (very hardy)

H1a

H1b

H1c

RHS H4–H5

USDA 7 equivalent