Q: Any idea why my pea plants died, turned brown, and when I pulled them up, their roots were disintegrated? They put out some pods, but not the normal amount, before dying. I have parsnips planted between the rows. Any idea if that could be the reason?
A. Pea plants are susceptible to a number of fungi that can cause their roots to rot, leading to the symptoms you describe. The yield may be low, the above-ground parts of the plant may die prematurely, and the roots may look stunted and strange or rot away entirely.
There are a few things you can do to prevent this in next year’s pea crop:
First, don’t plant peas anywhere you’ve had them in the last three years. Five years would be even better. Rotate the crop to a different part of the garden, and don’t move the soil where the infected peas were to any other part of the garden. If there was mulch on those plants, throw it away.
Second, be careful not to overwater. Peas like to live in soil that’s moist but not soggy, and you can let them dry out a bit between waterings. Sometimes, if the weather conditions are just wrong, there’s nothing you can do. A lot of rain, combined with the warm, muggy weather this summer, can cause pathogens to thrive.
If you do need to water, it’s best to do it in the morning so the foliage gets a chance to dry before cooler night temperatures set in. It’s also important to water the soil, not the plants. This goes for all garden plants. Overhead watering with a sprinkler is not recommended. Wet foliage can help pathogens thrive.
Third, make sure your garden is not too crowded. You want good airflow between plants to reduce lingering humidity. The parsnips likely didn’t contribute to the root rot directly, but planting everything closely together may have increased humidity around the plants. Keeping the garden and the area surrounding it weeded can also help with air circulation.
Sadly, I’m concerned that your parsnips may be threatened with a similar fate. Many of the fungi that can lead to root rot in peas live in the soil and can also damage parsnips. Even if your parsnips look and taste all right, a fungal infection can mean they won’t store as well, so if they look good when you harvest, it’s probably a good idea to use them up promptly.
I’d also suggest not putting the infected pea plants that you pulled out in the compost.
There’s more information about growing peas in home gardens at
extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-peas.
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