[Goosegirl]

Hmmm - not had this problem before with them unless they've been left too long on the plant. Is it the variety (Jessy - said to be stringless) or is it due to the weather?

[mumofstig]

I've always pulled the strings off of sugar snaps, you must have been lucky if you haven't had to 

[madcat]

I'm betting on the weather - in previous years, sugar snaps have been a staple, sweet, prolific, fast growing and tender.  This year they are mildewed, low yield and horrible.  If it was my first year growing them, it would be a 'never again'.

Blame the weather!

[nannytroll]

Aha, It's not just me then!. They are prolific, but really stringy and just not very nice to eat raw. OK steamed, but usually they don't make it to the kitchen.

[RJR_38]

Definitely the weather. First time mine have been stringy as well and mange tout haven't been as prolific

[ghost61]

Ditto, despite lots of watering.  One good picking and then that was moreorless it.  Disappointing.

[TheWhiteRabbit]

Yup, same here...very pale in colour, stringy and poor yield. I thought it was me neglecting the plants!

I sowed a second batch about 2 weeks ago....I'm hoping they'll do a little better.

[Goosegirl]

Aha - thought so! Apart from being rather stringy I noticed they are a bit hard to pick off the plant with your fingers. There are a few plants in one area that got mildew (probably because I sowed them too thickly) but the rest look green and healthy and are producing loads of pea pods. As I chose a shorter variety because of the winds we get here, I'll try them again next year. Thanks all for your feedback.

[TheWhiteRabbit]

The best mange tout I've had so far are the Bijou giant sugar pea (Real Seeds), which were fabulous. Huge pods, fantastic yield, great flavour and not stringy. Really must get some more and save the seeds.

[mumofstig]

Mangetout aren't the same thing as sugar snaps though.

[TheWhiteRabbit]

Yup, I know that...don't know why this is called a sugar pea because it's nothing like a sugar snap...it is exactly like a mange tout though 

[AnneB]

I have grown mange tout for the first time this year, 2 varieties-  Carouby and Golden Sweet.   The yield is not good on either of them, and the Golden Sweet are stringy too.

I also have some Sutton's Purple Podded and some Ne Plus Ultra tall peas that are struggling a bit.  They have been quick to turn papery and brown at the base and yields also lower, despite watering.

My slightly shorter peas, Stokesley and Bullroyd, are however fantastic.   These were sown quite densely in four double rows, and I have a thicket of peas with a huge crop.   

Everyone elses peas on site are not doing well.  I wonder if the close planting has helped conserve moisture in the ground in some way, although you would think more plants led to higher water requirements?

[crh75]

Mangetout aren't the same thing as sugar snaps though.

Interestingly, according to Wikipedia this is not true:

The name mangetout (French for "eat all") can apply both to snap peas and snow peas.

 
I'm not going to change to that definition though.  I'll get thoroughly confused!