Snow peas growing is a relatively recent introduction in Kenya .The plants are growing in importance due
to demand and value in the export market mainly in Europe.Snow peas do well in upper and lower highlands at altitudes
between 1,500-2,600m above sea level, and temperatures of 12º-20ºC with well
distributed rainfall of 1,500-2,100 per year and well drained soils rich in
organic matter .Purple flowered varieties of snow peas plants include dwarf
grey, Oregon sugar pod while varieties with white flowers are mommoth melting sugar
[giant variety], sugar snap, Toledo.Propagation involves ploughing land to a depth of 30 cm
followed by harrowing to a fine tilth. The seed is directly sown into the field
at a depth of 2.5-3cm and a seed rate of 50-60 kg/ha. Recommended spacing for
growing the crop is 7-10cm between plants and 75cmm between the rows. Watering
after sowing should be done twice daily and germination takes 5-7 days. Up to
10 tons of farm yard manure should be applied. Applications of DAP fertilizer
at a rate of 250kg per ha at sowing time and again after one month is recommended
for root growth. At flowering stage the plants should be dressed with CAN at a
rate of 200kg per ha. All fertilizer applied should be mixed well with soil.
Avoid excess nitrogen which will promote vegetative growth at the expense of
growth of pods. Hand weeding is recommended since the plants are shallow rooted
and deep hoeing may injure the roots.
Snow peas require a large amount of water during growth and
about 9,000mm of the water should be applied during the growing season. Alternatively
irrigation should be done at a frequency which ensures a handful of soil does
not crumble when squeezed but remains in a lump. Irrigation after topdressing
of snow peas is recommended followed by a week without water to promote
flowering. Watering after every picking is recommended to improve quality.
Training snow peas plants 2-3weeks after sowing when the plants start tailing
on the ground. Pinch the terminal bud to stimulate branching and production of
more flowers. The snow peas plants are supported using twiggy branches or
stakes. A trellis made of wooden stakes 1.5-2m long and 3-4cm diameter and wire
[gauge 10] or diesel treated sisal twine tied between the stakes 60-70 cm above
the ground can be used. 30cm of the stake should be buried at 2m and 2.5 m
intervals along the rows for dwarf and giant varieties respectively. Another
string should be tied to the base of the plants and then to the wire above it. As the plants grow another wire or string is
tied 10 cm above the previous one to ensure the plants grows through loops.Snow peas major diseases during growth include powdery
mildews manifesting as white powder, leaf spots, downy mildews and rust.
Control is through use of certified seeds, spraying plants with recommended fungicides,
staking plants, destruction of crop debris by burning, crop rotation and use of
resistant or tolerant varieties. Major pests of growing snow peas include
thrips, aphids, bollworms, red spider mites’ bean fly and nematodes. Control is
by using recommended insecticides.
Harvesting of snow peas starts 60-70 days after sowing
and continues for 1-2 months. Young tender ponds are harvested before they
become fibrous. Ponds are twisted from the plants leaving a short stalk. Snow
peas are ordinarily picked thrice a week and five times a week during warm and
hot weather to keep the vines bearing. Expected yield is 4-5 tons per hectare.
Post harvest handling of snow peas includes placing the produce in plastic
containers and covering with moist clean cloths preferably white in colour to
maintain low temperatures. Sorting should be done to remove diseased, damaged
ponds and foreign material before packing. Dirty ponds should be washed in
clean water to remove soil and dried with a soft cloth. High standards of
hygiene should be maintained during growth and handling. During packaging
uniformly green snow peas of uniform size are packed in cartons allowing an
overweight of 5% as the pods loose water during transportation. Transit time
should be kept as short as possible and the desirable transport temperatures
are 0-2ºC.
