What it is
Delikata is a mangetout pea variety from Mr Fothergill's Seeds, produced in partnership with the RHS and awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit for its reliable performance in British gardens. It belongs to the Pisum sativum family and is classified as a mangetout type, meaning the flat pods are eaten whole before the peas inside fully develop. That said, Delikata is a genuinely versatile variety. Leave some pods to mature and you can shell them out for sweet, wrinkled peas instead. Two crops in one, which is rare for a mangetout.
Why it is good
The pods are dark green, tender and impressively sweet, with a satisfying crisp texture that holds up well in the kitchen whether you are eating them raw, steaming them lightly or tossing them into a stir fry. Delikata shows good resistance to disease, which is one of the reasons it earned its AGM, and that resistance translates directly into a longer, more reliable picking season. Where many pea varieties trail off as the season goes on, Delikata keeps producing. It is also the first wrinkled seeded mangetout variety, which contributes to its notably sweet flavour, something that sets it apart from smoother seeded types.
Growing performance
Delikata is a straightforward variety to grow and performs well in most British kitchen garden conditions. It prefers an open, sunny position in well drained, fertile soil with a good amount of organic matter worked in before sowing. It is not suitable for heavy waterlogging but tolerates a range of soil types well. Plants grow to around 1.3 metres tall, so some form of support is needed as they establish, whether that is pea sticks, netting or a simple cane and twine frame. It can also be grown successfully in large containers, making it a workable option for smaller plots or paved areas, as long as watering is kept consistent.
Harvest and outcome
Pick the pods from late spring or early summer through to September, working from the bottom of the plant upwards. Pods are ready as mangetout when they reach roughly 5 to 8 centimetres long and you can just see the peas forming inside, still flat and stringless at that stage. Regular picking is important as it encourages the plant to keep producing, so do not let pods sit too long. If you do miss a batch, simply leave them to swell fully and shell them instead. The resulting peas are sweet, wrinkled and entirely worth the wait.
Who it is for
Delikata is a brilliant choice for allotment growers who want a productive, low maintenance crop that keeps giving through the summer. It is also well suited to kitchen gardeners who want something versatile enough to eat in multiple ways across the season. Beginners will find it forgiving and rewarding, and experienced growers will appreciate the dual purpose nature of the variety and its strong disease resistance. If you enjoy successional sowing and want a steady supply of pods from June through to September, this is exactly the kind of variety to build a season around.
At Allotmate Essentials, we love a crop that earns its keep, and RHS Pea Mangetout Delikata does just that. It’s a space-saver that rewards you with sweet, crunchy pods for months, and it’s tough enough to handle unpredictable weather with ease.
The flavour is outstanding – crisp, fresh, and moreish whether eaten raw straight from the vine or lightly steamed with butter. We especially love how you can enjoy it in two ways: as tender mangetout or as traditional shelling peas once pods mature. It’s a brilliant all-rounder that suits busy gardeners and beginners alike.
The RHS Award of Garden Merit stamp means it’s been tested and proven, so you can sow with total confidence. Easy, delicious, and productive – it’s exactly the kind of variety we love to recommend for every garden or allotment.
