I spoke to soon. In my last post I claimed I had mastered summer gardening…well my peas have turned white and the actual pods seems to be growing MOLD. Help!🚔🚑
What is going on?!! It’s been very humid over the last few days so I’m guessing it’s from that, perhaps they don’t like hot and humid weather. Has anyone seen this before? Any guesses?
On a happier note, today I ventured out to my garden store and picked up a few packets of seeds for when my tomatoes are gone and the weather becomes a little cooler. Check out what I’ve picked out!
Green Arrow Peas, Bloomsdale Savoy Spinach and Celebration Swiss Chard!
Have you grown any of these veggies in the winter months, how did they do? Still eager to hear advice and stories of winter gardening. Happy growing, friends!🌱🍄🌞
nannygrannie 
The peas and spinach should work, but I’m not sure about the chard. Chard will winter over, though, if you already have a crop. As for your current peas, it looks as though they have powdery mildew. This is a symptom of dryness, though, rather than damp. Have you had regular rain? If not, give the peas a really good soak several days in a row. If it’s been raining, then it’s probably something else. I’ve never seen this on peas, but my peas are always dead and gone by now.
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Okay, good to know about chard- it may have to wait until next spring 🙂 huh….maybe I didn’t water enough when it got very hot. Theres been no rain. I watered everyday but perhaps not enough water – I’ll soak them tonight to see if I can resurrect them. However I have a feeling this bunch of peas is done! Thanks so much!
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I have resurrected zucchini plants with several good soakings. Re the chard, it might work, but there’s a balance between getting the plant started before the days become too short, so consider that as well.
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My peas are done for the season, I am surprised that yours are still going well. There is a recipe I found on pinterest for powdery mildew, which it looks like to me, but it only prevents the rest of the plant getting it, doesn’t take care of the leaves and stems that have it. Its just a gallon of water with a tablespoon each of baking soda, vegetable oil and dish soap. Hope you can save them, since I think they are the last early harvest of peas ever, mine collapsed and dried last week lol.
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If you like lambs lettuce it is a great winter crop! You can sow it from August to September and it lasts all winter. Onions seeds can go in for next year as well.
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Sulphur sprayed on healthy leaves can help prevent powdery mildew. Once it’s on there, you pretty much have to prune the affected leaves.
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Good to know!!! Thank you, I’ll look into it
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My peas got afflicted with the same condition this year. I’m pretty sure it’s powdery mildew, and I still have yet to find a cure. I heard that you need to tackle it at the first appearance of the mildew and I was too late – it’s everywhere! Needless to say my peas are done for the season. Btw, it was my green arrow peas that were affected, but they were delicious and plentiful while they lasted! Good luck with them!
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Oh no!!! It’s really too bad:( I was too late as well it seems. I’ll probably rip them out this weekend. Do you save your pea seeds or know how to? Are you going to grow anything else in the peas spot?
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I didn’t bother saving the pea seeds – will likely just buy new ones next year 🙂 I will also not be growing anything new in the peas spot as I already completely overcrowded the area with my pepper plants – I’m terrible at spacing!!! Plus my growing season is sooooo short – probably only another month and a half or so!
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I save my peas and have planted a few in the past…it’s something I want to get better at. If you save your peas, save the largest peas and let them dry out completely. You can test them by soaking them to see if they sprout. It’s probably one of the easiest plants to save seeds from.
I have had the spots in the past, and like others said, probably powdery mildew…always after a very humid spell, and usually right before the plants begin to die back.
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Ah ha! That powdery mildew is up to no good! Thank you so much, I’ll have to give the peas a try. I really want to get into saving my seeds – so much to learn!
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I agree that your peas probably have powdery mildew. If you haven’t pulled your plants out yet, remove all affected pods and foliage and throw it away. You can keep the plants in the ground, but remove all affected parts. If you see more develop, then remove that affected foliage as well. Don’t compost.
This usually happens in very humid weather. Then be sure to rotate your peas for the next couple year, in case there are any spores left in the soil. Hope that helps. 🙂 Julia
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Very very useful, thank you Julia! I defintely won’t plant them in the same place next year. I pulled all the peas, since they all started developing the mildew. But I did plant some new pea seeds in hopes of having one more round of peas this year 🙂
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