What To Plant With Snap Peas

Knowing what to plant with snap peas is one of the best ways to boost your garden’s health and yield. This practice, called companion planting, helps your peas thrive naturally by attracting good bugs, improving soil, and saving space.

Let’s look at how to choose the right neighbors for your snap pea plants. You’ll get a better harvest with less work and more natural pest control.

Companion planting works by creating beneficial relationships between plants. Some plants add nutrients to the soil that others need. Some can provide shade or physical support. Others repel specific pests or attract their predators.

For snap peas, the main goals are fixing nitrogen in the soil, deterring common pests like aphids, and making the most of your garden layout. Here are the top companion plants to consider.

Best Vegetable Companions

These vegetables grow especially well alongside snap peas and offer mutual benefits.

Carrots: Carrots help loosen the soil as they grow, which improves drainage for pea roots. Their foliage is light and doesn’t compete heavily for sun.
Radishes: A fast-growing crop, radishes can be harvested before the peas need the space. They also help mark the row and can deter some soil pests.
Spinach & Lettuce: These leafy greens enjoy the light shade provided by taller pea vines. They also form a living mulch, keeping soil cool and moist.
Cucumbers: If you train cukes on a separate trellis next to peas, they can share structural support. They generally don’t suffer from the same diseases.
Potatoes: Some gardeners find potatoes and peas to be good companions, as they occupy different soil levels and don’t compete directly for nutrients.

Excellent Herb Companions

Herbs are powerful companions because of their strong scents. They confuse or repel pests looking for your peas.

Mint: Its strong scent repels aphids and ants. Best planted in a container near the peas, as mint can be invasive in beds.
Dill & Cilantro: These herbs attract beneficial insects like ladybugs and parasitic wasps that prey on aphids and other pea pests.
Rosemary & Sage: Their pungent aroma can deter a range of insects. They also prefer similar growing conditions as cool-season peas in spring.
Basil: While it loves heat more than peas, spring-planted basil can get a start near peas and may help repel thrips.

Helpful Flower Companions

Flowers aren’t just pretty—they’re functional. They bring in pollinators and beneficial predatory insects.

Nasturtiums: A classic companion. They act as a “trap crop,” luring aphids away from your peas. The flowers and leaves are also edible.
Marigolds: Their roots exude a substance that can deter harmful nematodes in the soil. French marigolds are considered the most effective for this.
Sweet Alyssum: This low-growing flower attracts hoverflies, whose larvae are voracious aphid eaters. It makes a beautiful border.

Plants to Avoid Near Snap Peas

Just as some plants help, others can hinder. Avoid planting your snap peas near these:

Onions, Garlic, Leeks: Alliums can stunt the growth of pea plants and may effect their flavor.
Gladiolus: This flower is known to compete vigorously and can inhibit the growth of peas.
Other Legumes (in the same spot): Don’t plant peas where beans or other legumes grew the previous year. This helps prevent a buildup of soil-borne diseases.

Planning Your Pea Garden Layout

Good planning makes all the difference. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to laying out your snap pea companion garden.

Choose Your Spot: Pick a site with full sun and well-drained soil. Snap peas need a trellis or support, so plan for that first.
Set Up Support: Install your trellis, fence, or pea sticks before planting to avoid disturbing roots later.
Plant Your Peas: Sow snap pea seeds directly in the soil about 1 inch deep and 2 inches apart along the base of the support.
Add Companions: Plant quick-growing radishes between pea seeds to mark rows. Sow carrots or spinach in adjacent rows on the sunny side. Place pots of mint or rosemary at the ends of the row.
Interplant Flowers: Sow nasturtium or sweet alyssum seeds in any gaps at the front of the bed, where they won’t be shaded out.
Mulch and Water: Once plants are a few inches tall, add a light layer of straw or compost mulch to retain moisture. Water consistently, especially when flowers and pods are forming.

Benefits of a Good Planting Plan

A well-planned companion garden does more than just save space. It creates a mini-ecosystem. The flowers bring in pollinators for other plants. The herbs deter pests without any sprays. The shallow roots of lettuce help prevent weeds.

This system reduces your workload. You’ll spend less time watering, weeding, and dealing with pests. Your soil health improves each year as you rotate crops and use nitrogen-fixing plants like peas.

Common Problems and Companion Solutions

Even with companions, you might face issues. Here’s how your plant neighbors can help solve them.

Aphids: This is the most common pea pest. Plant nasturtiums as a sacrificial trap crop. Encourage dill and cilantro to attract ladybugs, who’s larvae eat aphids.
Poor Pollination: If pea flowers aren’t setting pods, you need more pollinators. Plant bright, nectar-rich flowers like alyssum or marigolds close by.
Soil Exhaustion: Peas add nitrogen, but they also use other nutrients. Follow peas with heavy feeders like tomatoes or squash, using the enriched soil.
Mildew: Improve air circulation by avoiding overcrowding. Proper spacing with low-growing companions like spinach can help keep air moving.

Seasonal Considerations

Snap peas are a cool-season crop. This affects what companions work best.

In early spring, focus on other cool-loving plants: radishes, spinach, lettuce, carrots, and herbs like parsley. These will mature alongside your peas.

If you plant a late summer crop for fall harvest, you can pair them with some of the same greens. The flowers like nasturtiums and marigolds will still be going strong to help with pest control.

FAQ: Companion Planting with Snap Peas

Can I plant tomatoes with snap peas?
Yes, but timing is key. Peas are harvested before tomatoes need the full space and summer heat. Plant tomatoes nearby after pea harvest; they can use the nitrogen left in the soil.

What is the best fertilizer for snap peas and their companions?
Peas need little fertilizer if planted in decent soil. Too much nitrogen reduces yields. Use a balanced, low-nitrogen organic fertilizer at planting if needed. Compost is always a excellent choice.

How close should companion plants be to snap peas?
It depends on the plant. Root crops like radishes can be between pea seeds. Larger plants like potatoes should be in the next row over, about 12-18 inches away. Herbs in pots can sit right beside the bed.

Do snap peas improve soil for other plants?
Absolutely. Through a relationship with soil bacteria, peas take nitrogen from the air and fix it in the soil. After harvest, cut the plants at the soil line, leaving the nitrogen-rich roots to decompose for the next crop.

Can I grow beans next to snap peas?
It’s generally fine to grow them in the same garden, but avoid planting them immediately adjacent in the same row. They have similar pests and diseases, so mixing them up with other companions is a safer strategy.

Choosing what to plant with snap peas sets your whole garden up for success. Start with a few reliable companions like radishes, carrots, and nasturtiums. Observe what works best in your specific garden, and you’ll enjoy a healthier, more productive space with every season.