"Barrier" wrote ...

Chris Hogg wrote:
"Barrier" wrote:



I have a couple of rows of garden peas planted and over the last
couple of weeks a white powdery substance has appeared on them and
it would seem that the plants are suffering as a result, although
the mature peas seem to be uninfected.

Any suggestions please as to the cause of the powder.

many thanks

Mildew? Often occurs in dry weather. Make sure the peas are kept well
watered. If you already do that, then I'm out of suggestions!

Thanks for the reply Chris. Yes they were watered aplenty, but the ground
doesn't hold water that well so your suggestion could well be the problem.


You could try doing what one of my old mentors used to do with his runner
beans. He dug a trench where he intended to plant his beans and lined it
with damp newspaper and filled with compost, not even well rotted, covered
with soil and planted into that. The compost and newspaper held moisture for
the plants.
The problem this year is that it is so hot you may have a problem no matter
how much you water, peas just don't do heat IME. Perhaps give up on maincrop
peas, as we have, and go for "Early Onward" so they are cropped and in the
freezer by now.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK