Growing snow peas is a joy for any gardener, but choosing the right companion plants for snow peas can make your harvest even better. These climbing veggies thrive with good neighbors, and picking the right partners helps your garden in many ways.
Companion planting is a smart way to work with nature. It helps with pest control, improves soil, and makes the most of your garden space. For snow peas, which are cool-season legumes, the right companions can support their growth and boost your overall yield. Let’s look at how to build a supportive plant community around them.
Companion Plants For Snow Peas
This list includes plants that offer specific benefits to your snow pea plants. They can deter pests, add nutrients to the soil, or provide physical support.
Best Plant Partners
- Carrots: Their roots loosen the soil, making it easier for pea roots to grow. They also occupy a different soil level, so they don’t compete directly.
- Radishes: A fast-growing crop that can be harvested before the peas need the space. They can also help deter certain beetles.
- Spinach & Lettuce: These leafy greens enjoy the light shade provided by the pea vines and make good use of the space at the base of the plants.
- Cucumbers: They can sometimes benefit from the slight shade of peas in very hot climates, though ensure both have ample water.
- Herbs like Mint and Dill: Their strong scents can confuse and repel pests like aphids. It’s best to plant mint in a container to control its spread.
Plants to Improve Soil Health
Snow peas fix their own nitrogen, but other plants can help in different ways.
- Corn: Provides a tall, natural trellis for peas to climb. In return, the peas help stabilize the corn and add nitrogen to the soil.
- Beans: As fellow legumes, they share similar soil needs and can be planted in succession with peas.
- Nasturtiums: These flowers are a fantastic companion. They attract aphids away from your peas (a sacrificial plant) and also deter beetles.
Flowers for Pest Control & Pollination
Don’t forget to add some color! Flowers are powerful companions.
- Marigolds: Perhaps the most famous companion plant. Their roots exude a substance that can deter nematodes in the soil.
- Calendula: Attracts pollinators and other beneficial insects that will patrol your pea plants for pests.
- Alyssum: This low-growing flower attracts hoverflies, whose larvae are voracious aphid eaters.
Plants to Avoid Near Snow Peas
Just as some plants help, others can hinder. Avoid planting your snow peas near these:
- Onions, Garlic, Leeks: Alliums can stunt the growth of pea plants.
- Gladiolus: This flower is known to compete with and inhibit the growth of peas.
- Other Peas or Beans in the same spot: Rotate your legumes each year to prevent soil-borne diseases from building up.
Planning Your Companion Planting Layout
Good planning is key to success. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to laying out your snow pea patch.
Step 1: Prepare the Bed
Choose a sunny location with well-drained soil. Add compost a few weeks before planting to enrich the bed. Ensure you have a trellis or support structure ready for the peas to climb.
Step 2: Plant Your Supports and Centers
If using corn or sunflowers as a living trellis, plant these first. Also, plant any sacrificial flowers like nasturtiums at the corners of the bed or in pots nearby.
Step 3: Sow Your Snow Peas
Plant pea seeds directly in the soil according to packet directions. Sow them along the base of your trellis.
Step 4: Interplant with Companions
Between the rows of peas or in the spaces at the trellis base, sow seeds for radishes, carrots, or spinach. You can also transplant seedlings of herbs like dill.
Step 5: Add a Border
Plant a border of marigolds or calendula around the entire garden bed. This creates a beautiful and functional barrier against pests.
Common Problems and Companion Solutions
Even with companions, you might face issues. Here’s how your plant partners can help solve them.
Aphid Infestations
Aphids love tender pea shoots. To combat this:
- Plant nasturtiums nearby to lure aphids away.
- Include plenty of alyssum and calendula to attract hoverflies and ladybugs.
- A strong spray of water from the hose can knock aphids off plants.
Poor Pollination
While peas mostly self-pollinate, beneficial insects help overall garden health. Planting bright flowers like calendula and marigolds will ensure pollinators visit your garden, helping other crops like cucumbers or squash.
Soil Exhaustion
Legumes add nitrogen, but they still use other nutrients. Practice crop rotation. After harvesting your peas, follow with a heavy feeder like tomatoes or leafy greens, which will use the available nitrogen. Then add compost back into the soil for the next season.
Seasonal Tips for Succession Planting
To keep your garden productive, plan what comes before and after your snow peas.
Snow peas are a cool-season crop. In spring, you can plant them as soon as the soil can be worked. After your spring pea harvest is finished, you can remove the plants and use the space for a warm-season crop. Good choices include:
- Bush beans (they add more nitrogen)
- Summer squash
- More leafy greens, but provide shade in the heat
For a fall harvest, you can plant snow peas again in late summer. Their companions, like radishes and spinach, are also excellent fall crops, so you can repeat your companion layout.
FAQ: Companion Planting with Snow Peas
Can I plant tomatoes with snow peas?
It’s not ideal. Tomatoes are heavy feeders and prefer warmer weather. Peas are light feeders and cool-season. Their growth cycles and needs don’t align well, and they can compete for space if the peas are still producing when tomatoes need to go in.
What is the best mulch for snow peas?
Use a light, organic mulch like straw or grass clippings. It helps retain moisture, keep roots cool, and suppress weeds. Avoid very heavy mulches that can keep the soil to wet and cause rot.
Do snow peas need a trellis?
Yes, most varieties do. They are climbing vines. A trellis keeps the pods clean, improves air circulation to prevent disease, and makes harvesting much easier. Using a tall companion like corn is a natural alternative.
How do I make my own companion planting chart?
Start with a sketch of your garden bed. Place your tallest plants (trellises, corn) on the north side. Then, map out where your snow peas will climb. Finally, fill in the understory with low-growing companions like radishes and spinach. Remember to rotate crops each year.
Can companion planting completely eliminate pests?
No, it’s a management tool, not a cure-all. The goal is to create a balanced ecosystem that reduces pest problems and encourages beneficial insects. You’ll still need to monitor your plants and may occasionally need to hand-pick pests.
Choosing the right companion plants for your snow pea patch is a simple and effective way to garden smarter. By combining plants that help eachother, you create a healthier, more resilient, and productive garden. You’ll spend less time dealing with pests and poor soil, and more time enjoying a bountiful harvest of crisp, sweet snow peas and all their garden partners. Start planning your layout today, and you’ll see the benefits all season long.