snow pea problem...

[Craig]

Hi All,

I have another problem I forgot to mention in my earlier post. I have snow pod peas growing in a container on my deck. The plant was going well until last few weeks. Now it seems to be getting yellow with leaves falling off from the bottom moving up. It started only a inch or so and is now about 6 inches or so up the 30 inch or so plant. Almost seems like its dying bottom up. Plant is still making flowers and pea pods, just harvested some today in fact. Any idea what is happening? Is that normal? Maybe it's overwatered?

Craig K Staten Island, NY

[Stan Goodman]

I have grown snowpeas in the past, though not in containers. Although I have no idea what is making yours turn yellow, I think peas do better in cool weather than in hot. There is a small wild pea-like plant that comes up in winter, which suggests to me that cool weather is what the plant wants.

I grew them in the winter, which is more like your spring, and they did quite well. That is the natural growing season here, and the ground is usually pretty soggy during a good winter. My garden lies over a porous chalk formation, so is well drained.

[Frogleg]

Peas, incl. snowpeas, are 'cool weather' veg. Try planting some more at the end of summer for a fall crop. Your peas are probably done for the season.

[sueb]

That's normal. I'm in N. California and usually grow them in the spring. When it starts getting hot, they start dying off.

It's suggested that you sow sets of seeds a few weeks apart, if you want continuous crop. I have such trouble getting things started from seed that I don't bother.

Snow peas are one of the biggest producing plants that I have ever grown. Always enough for me and usually enough for the entire office.

Susan B.

[Craig]

Thanks all for the advice. I'll try in the peas in fall again. I planted them to late I guess. I'm in zone 6 what would be the time I should plant in spring? I've also read that you can plant peas in late fall for early spring harvest. Has anyone done that and had that work out - what would I have to do to winter them?

Thanks again, Craig K Staten Island

overwatered?

[Pat Kiewicz]

I normally plant my peas here as close to April 1 as possible. (It always seems to snow at least once after the peas are planted, which doesn't bother the peas at all.)

[Jim Elbrecht]

I'm a couple hours north of you, but I always plant my peas on Good Friday. [The only 'by the moon' planting that I do.] That usually gets them done before the really hot weather gets here. [Though this year we had 90' weather before they blossomed. I think it lowered the number of blossoms-- but maybe the peas will be sweeter]

Jim