Plot

When to sow Mangetout in the UK

Mangetout is sown to the calendar rather than to the frost, so the window is much the same wherever you garden in the UK.

Family Fabaceae · rotation group legumes · Easy to grow

Sowing and harvest dates by region

Mangetout is grown to the calendar rather than to the frost, so the same dates apply across the whole UK and every region below reads the same. Where a plant’s timings do follow the frost, Plot shifts them from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.

Where you areSow indoorsSow outdoorsPlant outHarvest
South West Coast and Cornwalllate February to early Marchearly March to late Junemid March to late Aprilearly June to early October
South Coast and Channellate February to early Marchearly March to late Junemid March to late Aprilearly June to early October
Greater London (Urban Heat Island)late February to early Marchearly March to late Junemid March to late Aprilearly June to early October
South East and Home Countieslate February to early Marchearly March to late Junemid March to late Aprilearly June to early October
East Anglialate February to early Marchearly March to late Junemid March to late Aprilearly June to early October
Midlands and Lowland Waleslate February to early Marchearly March to late Junemid March to late Aprilearly June to early October
Wales and West Coastlate February to early Marchearly March to late Junemid March to late Aprilearly June to early October
Northern Englandlate February to early Marchearly March to late Junemid March to late Aprilearly June to early October
Scotland Lowlands and Central Beltlate February to early Marchearly March to late Junemid March to late Aprilearly June to early October
Scotland Highlands and Islandslate February to early Marchearly March to late Junemid March to late Aprilearly June to early October
Northern Irelandlate February to early Marchearly March to late Junemid March to late Aprilearly June to early October
Channel Islands and Isle of Manlate February to early Marchearly March to late Junemid March to late Aprilearly June to early October

Growing notes

Grown exactly like a shelling pea but picked young for the flat, stringless pods, which crop earlier and heavier than garden peas - keep picking every few days or the pods turn fibrous. Sow small batches from March to June and net against mice and pigeons.

At a glance

Spacing
8 cm between plants
Row spacing
30 cm
Plants per m²
40
Days to maturity
80 days
Yield per plant
0.15 kg
Sun
Full
Frost tender
No
Grows in a container
Yes, 25 litres or more
Minimum soil depth
25 cm
Balcony rating
3 out of 5

Succession sowing

Worth sowing in batches. Sow again every 21 days, up to about 4 sowings in a season, for a longer picking window rather than one glut.

What usually goes wrong

Companion planting

Grows well near

Keep away from

Related guides

Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for mangetout.