Our pea plants are dying

[Galette]

That's it really, the plants were doing well, flowers and peas being well formed, then the plant starts to go yellow and eventually dries to a crisp.  They are all going the same way.  The root looks to be the problem, any suggestions as to why this should happen?  They have been well watered, no sign of spider-mite, or mildew, we use 4 year crop rotation method.  Have grown this type (French - 'Telephone') before successfully.  We have the next batch of plants underway.

[Galette]

[ancellsfarmer]

Really need more information but my thoughts are that you have watered and sustained your peas, without them needing to grow an extensive root system. As the season has been cool and  relatively dry(in NW Hampshire) until 2 weeks ago.Since then they have suddenly been faced with a demand for much more water than you have been able to supply, and they have simply withered up. Prevention in future years may be the inclusion of much more humus, the "earthing up" of emerging rows to increase the soil depth  and compaction before planting to establish satisfactory capillary lifting from the water table,and the resistance of the temptation to lightly water. An inch of rainfall(25mm) is equivalent to the application of 25litres  per square metre, a daunting task with a can!

[saddad]

It's been a very dry season here  this year....

[Robert_Brenchley]

Some of mine have been looking pretty miserable, but I attribute that to the hot dry weather we've been having.

[Silverleaf]

Peas do prefer cooler and wetter, that's for sure.

[Galette]

Thank you for your comments, we  think we may have killed our plants with kindness by over-watering (almost every evening) and planting into soil that has been lifted and aerated by rotovating.  Soon after planting out the pot-raised plants,  the weather turned very hot, and it has remained so for some weeks now.  This is unusual for Brittany, but - of course, we must now expect the unexpected with our weather.

I think that in the future we must plant our peas into soil that has been compacted, and be less generous with the water, to encourage the plants to develop a better root system.  Maybe some light shading would help?  Maybe for next year I will research a variety that is more sun-tolerant.

The heat here this year is unusual by any standards, 33C (in the shade of course) today, thank goodness we have a well in the garden.  We may have to re-think our fruit and vegetable varieties...  Several of my ornamental foliage plants have been scorched by the sun - never happened before.