Separating sugar snap peas that have vined together

8 years ago

Hey all! Like many over-enthusiastic newbies, I raced ahead on a few things without planning and am now left to clean up my mistakes.

One such mistake was not properly staking my sugar snap peas from the start. I let them wind along the ground for too long before getting around to it. As a result, three of them have twined themselves together with those little tendrils they shoot out.

Don't know if a picture helps, but this is my knotted mess:

Larger version: http://i.imgur.com/syxWj48.jpg

I've since strung them up to get them off the ground, but I worry about them being knotted together. I'm wondering if I can safely (but gently) snip the tendrils where they're knotted together in order to separate the plants?

Will they simply shoot out some more and keep growing, or am I better off letting this cluster do its thing as is rather than disturb them?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
8 years ago
Leave them alone. As long as they now have something to climb on they'll continue to grow upwards. You would do more damage untangling them.
kathyb912_in (5a/5b, Central IN)
8 years ago
No, no, that's what you want them to do. They are helping to support each other right now, which is a good thing. Some shorter varieties don't even require staking and will just kind of support each other in a clump, just like you have. If your string isn't enough, you can also push some stakes or tree branches around/among them to give them more to climb. The more they have to hang on to (including their neighbors), the more likely they'll be to withstand high winds as they grow. Good luck!
Related Professionals
Fort Lee Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Paradise Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Columbine Landscape Contractors · East Chicago Landscape Contractors · Hicksville Landscape Contractors · Hilo Landscape Contractors · Lady Lake Landscape Contractors · Mercedes Landscape Contractors · Middle River Landscape Contractors · New Providence Landscape Contractors · Overland Park Landscape Contractors · Paramount Landscape Contractors · San Antonio Landscape Contractors · West Haverstraw Landscape Contractors · Sunnyvale Driveway Installation & Maintenance
shoegaze99
Original Author
8 years ago
THANK YOU BOTH!

I'm really glad I asked first, because I was strongly considering just going out there and doing it.

They are not staked and supported by twine and, I suppose, each other. Now I'll just cross my fingers and hope for a delicious crop. I'll also have learned for next year.

This is my first year gardening, and I could not be having more fun. Where has this hobby been all my life?
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
8 years ago
My best tip for peas is to push twiggy prunings in around them. I prefer to hold peas up off the ground so they stay clean and hang down for easy harvesting.