Sugar Daddy
Pisum sativum 'Sugar Daddy'
A stringless snap pea that delivers exceptional sweetness and crunch without the hassle of removing tough strings. This compact variety produces plump, tender pods that are perfect for eating fresh or adding to stir-fries. Sugar Daddy is beloved by gardeners for its reliable production and kid-friendly appeal.
Harvest
72-74d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Zones
2–11
USDA hardiness
Height
12-18 inches
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Sugar Daddy in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 pea →Zone Map
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Sugar Daddy · Zones 2–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | — | June – July | August – September |
| Zone 2 | — | — | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 11 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 12 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 13 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 3 | — | — | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | April – June | July – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | — | — | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | — | — | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | — | — | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | — | — | January – March | March – December |
Succession Planting
Direct sow Sugar Daddy every 14–21 days from March 1 through early May in zone 7, stopping once daytime highs are consistently hitting 80°F — pea flowers abort above that threshold, and a 72–74 day variety doesn't leave much room to gamble on a closing heat window. For a fall run, count back 80 days from your first frost date (mid-October in zone 7) and sow in late July to early August; if soil temperatures are above 85°F, water the bed down the evening before sowing to drop the surface temp a few degrees before seed goes in.
Two or three staggered sowings spaced 2 weeks apart is enough for a continuous snap pea supply through late spring — each planting flushes for roughly 2 weeks before it's done, so more than three plantings in the spring window just stacks up more peas than most households can eat fresh.
Complete Growing Guide
Sugar Daddy peas thrive in cool weather, making them perfect for early spring planting. Start by preparing your site 2-4 weeks before your last frost date when soil temperatures reach 45-50°F. Choose a location with morning sun and afternoon shade in warmer zones (7-9), or full sun in cooler regions (3-6).
Amend your soil with 2-3 inches of compost or well-aged manure, as peas are heavy feeders despite their nitrogen-fixing ability. The ideal pH ranges from 6.0-7.0. Avoid fresh manure, which can burn tender seedlings and promote excessive foliage at the expense of pod production.
Direct sow seeds 1-2 inches deep and 2-3 inches apart in double rows spaced 6 inches apart. This close spacing maximizes your harvest area while allowing plants to support each other. Soak seeds for 6-8 hours before planting to speed germination, but avoid overnight soaking which can cause splitting. Plant a second succession crop 2-3 weeks later for extended harvest.
While Sugar Daddy is a compact variety reaching only 24-30 inches, provide support with 4-foot trellises, bamboo poles, or pea netting. Install supports at planting time to avoid disturbing roots later. The plants will begin climbing within 2-3 weeks of emergence.
Fertilize lightly at planting with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer, then switch to low-nitrogen fertilizer once flowering begins. Over-fertilizing with nitrogen creates lush foliage but reduces pod production. Side-dress with compost or bone meal when pods begin forming.
Maintain consistent soil moisture but avoid waterlogged conditions, which promote root rot. Water at soil level rather than overhead to prevent fungal diseases. Mulch around plants with straw or shredded leaves to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Common mistakes include planting too late (peas hate heat above 75°F), overcrowding (which reduces air circulation and invites disease), and harvesting too infrequently. Pick pods daily once harvest begins to encourage continued production.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting Sugar Daddy peas 72-74 days from planting when pods reach 3-4 inches long and feel plump but not bulging. The pods should be bright green with a glossy appearance and snap crisply when bent. Unlike shelling peas, you want to harvest before the individual peas inside become too large and starchy.
Test readiness by gently pressing the pod - you should feel small, tender peas inside without hard, round bumps. The pod walls should still be thin and flexible. Harvest in the morning after dew has dried but before afternoon heat, when sugar content is highest.
Use both hands when picking: hold the vine with one hand and gently twist the pod upward with the other. This prevents damage to the delicate vines and encourages continued production. Avoid pulling straight down, which can uproot the entire plant. Pick every 1-2 days during peak season to maintain quality and extend the harvest period. Regular picking signals the plant to continue producing rather than going to seed.
Storage & Preservation
Fresh Sugar Daddy pods maintain peak quality for 3-5 days when stored unwashed in perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator crisper drawer. Keep them at 32-36°F with high humidity to prevent wilting and sugar conversion to starch.
For longer storage, blanch whole pods in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then plunge into ice water. Drain thoroughly and freeze in airtight containers for up to 8 months. The stringless nature of Sugar Daddy makes them ideal for freezing since there's no prep work required.
Dehydrating is another excellent option - slice pods lengthwise and dry at 125°F for 6-8 hours until crisp. Store dried pea pods in airtight jars for up to one year. They make excellent additions to soups and stir-fries. Unlike traditional preservation methods that require shelling, Sugar Daddy's edible pods can be preserved whole, saving significant preparation time.
History & Origin
Sugar Daddy was developed in the 1970s by plant breeders seeking to create the perfect stringless snap pea for home gardeners. This hybrid variety emerged from crossing traditional snow peas with sugar snap peas, combining the best traits of both parents - the tender, edible pods of snow peas with the plump sweetness of snap peas.
The variety was specifically bred to address common complaints about snap peas: tough, fibrous strings and the tedious task of removing them before eating. By selecting for naturally stringless traits over multiple generations, breeders created a pea that children and adults could eat straight from the vine without any preparation.
Sugar Daddy gained popularity in the 1980s as part of the growing interest in Asian cuisine and stir-fry cooking. Home gardeners appreciated having a crop that required no processing - simply pick and eat or toss directly into the pan. The variety's compact growth habit also made it perfect for the suburban garden boom, fitting easily into smaller spaces while still producing substantial harvests.
Advantages
- +Completely stringless pods eliminate prep work - eat straight from the vine
- +Compact 24-30 inch height perfect for small gardens and containers
- +Exceptional sweetness that appeals to children and picky eaters
- +Strong disease resistance to powdery mildew and pea enation mosaic virus
- +Reliable production even in variable spring weather conditions
- +Pods remain tender longer than traditional snap peas before becoming tough
- +Excellent fresh storage life of 3-5 days maintains quality for market gardeners
Considerations
- -Heat sensitive - production drops rapidly when temperatures exceed 75°F
- -Shorter harvest window compared to indeterminate varieties
- -Pods can become overmature quickly in warm weather, requiring daily picking
- -More expensive seed cost than open-pollinated varieties
- -Susceptible to root rot in poorly drained or overwatered soil
Companion Plants
Carrots and radishes are the most practical companions here — they work a different depth in the soil profile without competing for the same resources, and radishes pulled early actually loosen the ground around pea roots as a side effect. Lettuce and spinach tuck in well under Sugar Daddy's 12–18 inch canopy, filling space that would otherwise go to weeds. Marigolds (Tagetes spp.) and nasturtiums pull double duty: they lure aphids off pea stems and bring in predatory wasps that cut the pest pressure from the other direction. Keep onions and garlic out of the same bed — alliums release compounds that interfere with the rhizobial bacteria peas depend on for nitrogen fixation, which undermines the one reason you don't have to fertilize them in the first place.
Plant Together
Carrots
Peas improve soil nitrogen for carrots, while carrots break up soil for pea roots
Radishes
Quick-growing radishes break up compacted soil and are harvested before peas need full space
Lettuce
Benefits from nitrogen fixed by peas and provides living mulch to retain soil moisture
Spinach
Thrives in nitrogen-rich soil created by peas and has similar cool weather preferences
Marigolds
Repel aphids, nematodes, and other pests that commonly attack pea plants
Mint
Strong scent deters ants, mice, and cabbage moths that can damage pea pods
Chives
Repel aphids and improve overall garden health through natural pest deterrence
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles while attracting beneficial insects
Keep Apart
Onions
Can inhibit pea growth and nitrogen fixation through root secretions
Garlic
Allelopathic compounds can stunt pea growth and reduce pod production
Fennel
Inhibits growth of most garden plants including peas through allelopathic root secretions
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #170419)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good resistance to powdery mildew and pea enation mosaic virus
Common Pests
Aphids, pea weevils, thrips, cutworms
Diseases
Root rot, downy mildew, fusarium wilt, bacterial blight
Troubleshooting Sugar Daddy
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Yellowing, distorted leaves with sticky residue or white cast skins on stems and undersides, most visible in early spring
Likely Causes
- Aphid colonies (likely Acyrthosiphon pisum, the pea aphid) feeding on new growth
- Soft, fast growth from over-fertilizing with nitrogen, which attracts aphids
What to Do
- 1.Blast colonies off with a firm stream of water, hitting the undersides of leaves
- 2.Spray with insecticidal soap — two or three applications, 4 days apart — if populations persist
- 3.Hold off on any extra nitrogen; Sugar Daddy fixes its own through root nodules
Gray-purple fuzz on the underside of leaves, with yellow patches on the upper surface, appearing during cool, wet stretches
Likely Causes
- Downy mildew (Peronospora viciae) — a water mold that thrives when nights stay below 65°F and humidity is high
- Crowded planting that traps moisture between plants
What to Do
- 1.Space plants at least 4–6 inches apart and orient rows to catch prevailing airflow
- 2.Remove and bag infected leaves — don't compost them
- 3.Switch to drip irrigation or water in the morning; evening overhead watering keeps foliage wet for hours and speeds the mildew cycle
Plants wilting and yellowing from the base up, roots brown and mushy when you pull one
Likely Causes
- Root rot (Pythium or Aphanomyces spp.) driven by waterlogged, poorly drained soil
- Planting into cold soil below 45°F, which slows germination and leaves seed sitting wet
What to Do
- 1.Direct sow only after soil reaches at least 45°F — Sugar Daddy germinates in 7–14 days under good conditions but rots fast in cold mud
- 2.Amend heavy clay with compost before sowing to open up drainage
- 3.Rotate peas out of any bed that had root rot for at least 3 seasons; Pythium persists in soil and doesn't care how long you ignore it
Small, round holes bored into seeds or peas, with fine powdery dust near the base of pods at or after harvest
Likely Causes
- Pea weevil (Bruchus pisorum) — adults lay eggs on pods, larvae bore in and feed on developing seeds
- Leaving mature pods on the plant too long, giving larvae more time to establish
What to Do
- 1.Harvest pods promptly around 72–74 days — Sugar Daddy is a snap type, so don't let pods go past full size waiting for them to sweeten further
- 2.Freeze any seed you're saving for 4 days at 0°F to kill larvae before storage
- 3.Till the bed thoroughly after the season ends to expose overwintering pupae to birds and hard frost
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Sugar Daddy pea take to grow from seed to harvest?▼
Can you grow Sugar Daddy peas in containers?▼
Is Sugar Daddy pea good for beginners?▼
What does Sugar Daddy pea taste like compared to regular peas?▼
When should I plant Sugar Daddy peas in spring?▼
Do Sugar Daddy peas really have no strings to remove?▼
Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.