Mange Tout or peas?

[suzywoozie]

Hi, I am quite new to veg growing and have a question about mange tout please. I grew ordinary peas last year, and this year I thought I would try mange tout. They have grown well, but I am confused because most of the pods are plump and round, like ordinary peas would be, and only a few are flat, as I would expect mange tout to be. Sounds a stupid question, but will they flatten out? Or is it possible that the manufacturers mixed up the seeds in the pack?

Many thanks
Sue

[PAULW]

You should have picked them earlier, one good thing leave fat pods to dry and you have your seed for next year.

[suzywoozie]

Thanks u for reply Paul...but they didn't start out flat and then get fatter over time, they are kind of rounded when the first emerge!

[Pies]

They wern't sugar snaps were they as they are round

[suzywoozie]

The packet said Mange Tout Sugar Peas Pisum Sativum

[rustylady]

Where did you get your seed from Suzy? I'm growing ordinary peas (Kelvedon Wonder), and even they start out flat when they first emerge from the flower.

[Creemteez]

Hi suzy, I've had this happen with my "deliket" sugar snaps. There are two rows in the same raised bed - both planted at the same time. One row are predominately flat and quite big - about 6cm long and the other row are quite a bit smaller but much more "poddy". I have no idea why this should be the case apart from the fact that the poddy row may get slightly less sun than the other, but I've been picking them now for about two weeks and they're all lovely. As long as you pick them young enough they should be fine.
Strangely enough, my Onward peas are all coming out large and flat and then filling out in the usual manner and they are in a bed next door getting exactly the same amount of sun as the other.
Another one of gardening's mysteries.

[Flummery]

The Americans tend to call mangetout 'snow peas' and sugar snaps they call 'snap peas' or 'sugar peas'. You may have sugar snaps, as Pies suggested. True mangetout are flat like ordinary shelling peas when they are young.

[kingkano]

Sugar snaps start out flat too (mine have). They usually start to fill out when they get bigger OR if they are stressed ie hot weather not enough water. I also found if you miss a filling pod then the rest fill up

[BroadRipple]

Hello SW - I have a similar mystery, made worse by my having mixed all mine up in a moment of rashness...all I can say is that they were all hopeless and my dreams of fresh peas of any variety seem doomed. Not enough space I fear. I still fancy real (not mange tout which are pointless) sugarsnaps though - anyone recommend any?

[perkin]

I'm growing Sugarsnap Cascadia for the first time this year (from T&M, I think). Getting an amazing crop from them - they just keep going! Am harvesting every 4-5 days - a batch to cook and a batch into the freezer. They've been more successful than any other pea crop I've grown before.

[tumbling tom]

Rhose Cascadia sound great. Jusr how dwarf do the peas get?

[bronwen]

Hello all,

I too am in pea confusion. The peas that are producing pods now are meant to be normal 'onward' type, they were from a seed swap and seem remarkably flat and mange-tout-y to me! So please let me know what you think!

Due to snail/slug attacks this is the only variety of pea that is growing apart from a few seedlings of onward (?) and sugar snap 'sugar bon'. I don't want to miss out on a crop of mange tout waiting for them to turn into fat peas

Sorry the photos aren't the best.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Bronwen,

All peas start out looking just like that, if they are a standard variety don't worry they will fatten up over the next week or so.

Nice looking plants by the way.

Colin