If you’re new to growing peas, don’t panic and think that we’ve sent you mangetout by mistake…you have to wait for the pods to swell!
As pea pods start to form, they are small and flat. After a few days, they’ll start to look like mange tout. After this, the peas inside will start to grow, and it’s not until they have fully developed that you want to harvest them. By this time, the pod will be quite round and firm. Once they reach this size, it’s best to harvest them as quickly as you can to a) encourage new pods and b) for sweeter flavour.