Peas and Mildew

Hi Everyone,

First time here, and first time with my own garden growing fruit and veg this year.

I have some peas in a large planter that have developed powdery mildew. Looks like it's pretty much spread over the entire crop in this planter.

I've had a reasonable crop from these peas, and I have other pea plants (from the same packet of seeds) planted elsewhere in the garden.

Should I invest in some fungicide and try and save the peas - or do I give them up for a lost cause now?

(And as lesser extant, any ideas "what went wrong" or is just one of those things?"

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Ben

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner

They often get mildew, not the end of the world. If you've already had a good crop off them they won't crop for much longer. Peas are best sown every 2 weeks so you get a succession

 

Thanks Zigs.

Yeah when I say good - it seems good for the first time - Probably had 60 or so pea pods from them. I sowed a second lot in two separate places in the garden about 3 weeks after this first lot, and whilst they're not as high, they are starting to produce a reasonable crop too.

I feel like they would have gone longer had they not got this mildew (they do just seem to have stopped all of sudden), but maybe this is normal?

Should I just leave them where they are for now? Or chop down?

They're in a large container with some carrots, which may not be quite ready to harvest yet. I pulled one up, and it was delicious but a little on the small side.

 

No worries

Yep, they do stop when they feel they've set enough seed to produce the next generation, probably not the mildew. Might be worth giving the next ones a spray though .

Leave a few plants in to save the seed from if you like

 

Hmm - now you're getting complicated.

Would I just save some of the pods and plant the peas from inside them (maybe drying them out first)

Or leave the plants as they are and expect them to re-seed? I think you meant leave them in and save the seeds, rather than just leave as they are to do their own thing?

Am I right in thinking I should grow something else here next year, and plant the peas elsewhere?

(I told you it was my first time!)

Thanks for the help though

 

Yep, I usually leave them to dry on the plant and then shell them and save them somewhere cool and dry. To plant out next year.

And yep, best not to grow the same thing in the same bed for 4 years

 

Mildew on peas is usually something that happens towards the end of the season, often a bit dry at the roots and lacking that spring flush of growth as the days shorten.

Personally I'd eat all I could and just buy new seed next year, saving your own might work, but is it really worth it?
Good to try new varieties, and see how they perform.