This year we have a better trellis for sugar snap peas. Previous ways, like sticking small branches in the ground, or using bamboo and string, always resulted in a tangled mess.

The pods were hard to find and harvesting did damage to the tangled stems.  The congestion of vines caused the peas to lose vigor and succumb to fungus. Time for a better solution.

Simplest Trellis for Sugar Snap Peas

This year, we planted a row of “Sugar Ann” along with “Purple Sugar Magnolia Tendril Peas”. We used plastic fencing as a trellis to corral the wayward tendrils. By surrounding the peas this creates a cage effect and still leaves ample space for air circulation.

It’s far easier to spot and pick the snap peas than before, though in future we’ll see about improving it further with ample access from both sides of the trellis cage. We’re just short on garden space, so this is still an improvement from previous stick and string trellis supports.

You could choose one of the orange or red colored plastic fencing options available if you don’t mind a splash of fence color showing up. The colors provide additional visibility for harvesting produce that you don’t get on the more camouflaged green fencing and the green-on-green effect.

So personal preference whether you like the brightness for contrast or if you prefer a more low-key, “invisible” pea trellis. Ours is a happy medium in that it’s grey, so it stands apart from the greenery without calling attention to itself.

Where to Buy Purple Sugar Peas

We got our Purple Magnolia Sugar Peas from RareSeeds, or you can get Purple Peas from Amazon.

Create a Walk-around Pea Trellis

Our sunny space is too limited or we would have definitely pulled it out and away from the wall of our cattle panel greenhouse for easier 360° harvesting.

If you have the space, far better for the plant’s growth and for harvesting, to be able to access your peas and beans from all sides of the trellis. As the snap peas plants have shot up, the plastic trellis is beginning to sag. To help with that you just need to add an additional center post for support.

Sugar snap peas don’t climb in the spiral fashion of vining plants. Rather, they have shoots and tendrils that lightly grasp onto things. So a snap pea trellis fence fashioned into a cage or tunnel with walk-around access is the best solution.

A trellis cage supports snap peas where the tendrils reach out in all directions to latch on

Sugar Ann and Sugar Magnolia Snap Tendril Snap Peas

Our Sugar Ann is producing like crazy, though the taller Sugar Magnolia Tendril is just now setting its purple pods.

Other Trellis Ideas for Sugar Snap Peas

Our other favorite trellis to recommend is an expandable trellis in powder coated steel. This trellis from Gardener’s Supply has hinges that are easy to put together and take apart and stack in panels for off-season storage.

We like the idea of a single panel instead of a tunnel or A-frame. A single “fence” style trellis provides for ease of harvesting from both sides of the trellis and ample sun exposure and airflow for the healthiest plants.

We also like that this one comes in bright red! That makes it even easier to see your peas to harvest while adding some flare to your garden. This trellis also comes in teal (they’re calling it “storm blue”) or green.

Vertical Growing

Growing vertically is a must to max out growing in small spaces. Even if you have plenty of space, a trellis for sugar snap peas is best for the health of the plant as well as ease of harvesting.

Here you can see more on our favorite bamboo teepee trellis for beans. We grow our own bamboo which provides a sustainable supply of garden tools and supports. There’s more about that briefly in this article on tomato cages and supports.

We have all kinds of ideas about “growing up”. For planting your tomatoes, beans, or squash, have a look at Vertical Vegetable Garden Ideas – Grow More in Less Space. Even if your garden is well underway, there are ways to retrofit into growing vertically. 

We’d love to know what you end up using. Send us a note and photo of your favorite trellis for sugar peas and we’ll be glad to add it here.

Wishing you great gardens and happy harvests!