Pea plants - new growth is wilting

[phkc070408]

I live in Zone 7 and planted some peas around 15-Aug-22. They are in pots and were doing well, new growth is whiter and whiter. I've been careful not to over-water them. It was still quite warm when I planted them, but it's not a bot cooler, and good pea temperatures overnight. We had about 2 inches of rain last week while I was away and was unable to bring them in.

Also, they (the pot) was next to some string bean plants that ended up getting a fungus of some sort and had to be treated with a copper anti-fungus treatment, so I'm wondering if the fungus spread.

 

[Chuck]

Looks to me like a nitrogen deficiency.

 

[YumYum]

Aren't peas a legume that pulls its own nitrogen from the atmosphere? Kinda wondering why they are nitrogen deficient but that is what it looks like. That potting mix doesn't look too great to me. Maybe that is part of the problem?

 

[phkc070408]

Hi guys:

There is mulch on top of the soil.

I have some high Nitrogen fertilizer that I can add in.

 

[YumYum]

Ok, then mulch is what I see there. You said you got a fungus but I don't see any since the damage is always left behind.

What fertilizer do you have?

 

[Chuck]

Aren't peas a legume that pulls its own nitrogen from the atmosphere? Kinda wondering why they are nitrogen deficient but that is what it looks like. That potting mix doesn't look too great to me. Maybe that is part of the problem?

Yeah legumes do make nitrogen in most conditions but when there is too much water, potassium or zinc it causes a nitrogen uptake or soil deficiency problem. I would guess in this circumstance it is too much water too often.

 

[phkc070408]

OK thanks. We had about 1.5 inches of rain over two days while I was away, and I always tried to be ginger with the watering, attempting to max out at 1 inch per week.

So, what should I do now? Should I add a little bit of fertilizer with nitrogen or just resume a more appropriate watering schedule. The pot is near the garage so I can pull it indoors before the rain starts tomorrow.

The fungus was on my string bean plants that were in the next two pots over. I wondered if it had traveled over.

Let me take a look at my fertilizer and get back in a few hours. D you need the item names or just the XX-XX-XX numbers?.

Oh, and FTR, the pots were a one-year temporary plan. We bought the house in January and I'm just about finished building two raised beds that will have canopies and a zone-adjustable irrigation system. My goal is to use natural fertilizer when available, and only chemicals when I need an emergency adjustment, such as in this case.

 

[phkc070408]

OK, here is what I have.

 

[Chuck]

All of the above are synthetic fertilizers except for the calcium. If I were forced to use any of the fertilizers it would be the Osmocote but in your case I wouldn't use any of them. Green Peas are a cool weather crop. If your temperatures are above about 75F it is not good for growth but fall and cooler temps are getting close. Peas can withstand a light frost but anything below about 28F will hurt them severely. In your circumstance I would get either a full organic fertilizer such as Dr Earth, Espoma, Medina etc and use that on all of your future plantings or I would get Bloodmeal just for the peas.

 

[phkc070408]

Well thankfully it's been cool at night here the past couple of nights, down to 60º last night and 62º) the night before, so yes, we're getting close. Also I can bring them into the garage every day where it's cooler after they've had their 6 hours of sunlight.like I said earlier, my garden beds are 98% done so I'll be able to cover them when it gets closer to the frost. It's a typical hooped cover with PVC framing that I'll swap with clear plastic.

Thanks for the help. Let me get out to the nursery before it's too late.