Peas – Sugar Snap Cascadia, a real treat in the veggie garden and the kitchen! Cascadia is a variety of snap pea that gives you sweet, crunchy pods you can eat whole—pod and all. They’re perfect for snacking straight from the vine, tossing into stir-fries, or adding to salads for a fresh burst of flavour.

The Cascadia pea was developed in the United States at Oregon State University in the 1980s. Plant breeders wanted a snap pea that was compact, disease resistant, and extra sweet, and Cascadia quickly became a gardener’s favourite worldwide. Its name even hints at its roots, coming from the Cascade Range in the Pacific Northwest.

Nutritionally, Cascadia peas are little powerhouses. They’re packed with vitamin C (great for your immune system), vitamin K (important for healthy bones), and dietary fibre, which keeps digestion happy. They’re also a good source of plant-based protein, folate, and antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, which are linked to healthy eyes. And the best bit—they’re low in calories but high in crunch and sweetness!

Cascadia is a bush-type pea, which means it’s more compact than climbing varieties, usually growing about 60–90 cm tall. It doesn’t need tall trellises, though a little support is helpful to keep the pods clean and easy to harvest. It’s a cool-season crop that does best in early spring or autumn, depending on your climate. The plants are quick to grow and will reward you with heavy yields of plump, juicy pods in just 60 days or so.

How to grow:

To grow from seed, sow directly into the garden as peas don’t like being transplanted.

Plant the seeds about 2–3 cm deep and 5–8 cm apart in rows.

They like well-drained soil, plenty of sunshine, and regular watering, especially while flowering and podding.

Because they’re bushy, you can grow them in raised beds, large pots, or straight in the veggie patch.

Keep picking the pods when they’re young and crisp—the more you pick, the more the plant produces!