How to Grow Sugar Sprint
Pisum sativum 'Sugar Sprint'
Sugar Sprint is a dwarf pea variety perfect for small gardens and containers. Gardeners choose this cool-season crop for its sweet flavor and compact growth habit that requires minimal support.
📷 Wikipedia: PeaStarting Sugar Sprint: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Sugar Sprint is not usually started indoors.
Direct sow the seeds outdoors rather than starting indoors, as peas generally do not transplant well.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. As a cool-season crop, sow seeds directly outdoors 2 to 6 weeks before the last frost date since these plants tolerate light frosts well. Plant the seed about one inch deep. Germination typically occurs within 7 to 14 days under cool conditions.
Space plants 4 to 6 inches apart in rows. While this dwarf variety grows short, providing a small cage or trellis can improve air circulation and yield. Keep soil consistently moist with about one inch of water per week, especially during flowering. Apply a light layer of mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Watch for aphids, pea weevils, thrips, and cutworms; inspect leaves regularly and use row covers early. Prevent powdery mildew and fungal diseases by ensuring good airflow and avoiding overhead watering. Harvest pods when they are plump but before seeds fully develop, usually 60 to 65 days after sowing.
When to Plant Sugar Sprint
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | June – July | August – September |
| Zone 2 | — | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 3 | — | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | — | April – June | June – 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 |
| Zone 11 | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 12 | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 13 | — | January – February | February – December |
Companion Plants for Sugar Sprint
✓ Good companions
Peas fix nitrogen in soil which carrots need, carrots don't compete for space
Repel aphids and improve growth of nearby pea plants
Low-growing crop that benefits from nitrogen fixed by peas, provides living mulch
Repel aphids and other pests that commonly attack pea plants
Deters ants and rodents that may eat pea seeds and pods
Act as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, repel squash bugs
Break up soil for pea roots, mature quickly before peas need full space
Cool-season companion that thrives with nitrogen from pea roots
✗ Keep away from
Allelopathic compounds can stunt pea growth and reduce yield
Competes heavily for nutrients and can inhibit pea pod development
Can inhibit pea growth and nitrogen fixation through root compounds
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
