Purple Hull Peas Yellow and Drying up

[Debs]

This is my third year of growing purple hull peas. Inevitably, every year I have had one or two plants that, out of nowhere, stop producing viable pods. They start green, turn yellow, and dry up. Does anyone know why this is happening? I have 2 plants out of 16 that are currently in this state. Should I pull them? Are they diseased somehow? Maybe just a dud?

 

[DirtMechanic]

Bugs most likely. Insects carry a variety of wilts and virus.

 

[Debs]

Thanks DirtMechanic......gonna have to go inspect them.

 

[Chuck]

This is my third year of growing purple hull peas. Inevitably, every year I have had one or two plants that, out of nowhere, stop producing viable pods. They start green, turn yellow, and dry up. Does anyone know why this is happening? I have 2 plants out of 16 that are currently in this state. Should I pull them? Are they diseased somehow? Maybe just a dud?

To me it sounds as if a few of your plants are chlorotic and since you live in Texas I presume your soil is alkaline as the only acidic soil is in east Texas although there are scattered spots of acidic soil around. What happens is that although your soil may have plenty of iron in it the plants are unable to uptake it. This can happen to an entire garden or just small portions of it. I too have the same problem. On one year the affected plants may be in one spot and the next year in the same spot everything is fine. What I do is add Chelated Iron to the affected plants and it seems to cure the problem

 

[DirtMechanic]

To me it sounds as if a few of your plants are chlorotic and since you live in Texas I presume your soil is alkaline as the only acidic soil is in east Texas although there are scattered spots of acidic soil around. What happens is that although your soil may have plenty of iron in it the plants are unable to uptake it. This can happen to an entire garden or just small portions of it. I too have the same problem. On one year the affected plants may be in one spot and the next year in the same spot everything is fine. What I do is add Chelated Iron to the affected plants and it seems to cure the problem

I would think Iron deficit would show in the new growth first, with the stem of the leaves and the rear to center showing a yellow that wants to work its way out to the green edges of the leaf. I have had this show up on fast growers, and it was not in all the plants just here and there.

 

[Chuck]

I would think Iron deficit would show in the new growth first, with the stem of the leaves and the rear to center showing a yellow that wants to work its way out to the green edges of the leaf. I have had this show up on fast growers, and it was not in all the plants just here and there.

It usually happens in mid-late season and high heat. No particular place on the plant that I have noticed

 

[Debs]

It usually happens in mid-late season and high heat. No particular place on the plant that I have noticed

Oh it's definitely hot here right now. Been over a hundred for several days. 107 tomorrow they say. Been trying to keep them watered good.