Pea Hurst Greenshaft

[Geoff]

It would have been nice to have plenty of Greenshaft Peas to count but mine have been devastated by something nasty. Is there a Phytophthora that attacks them? Phytophthora fragariae var rubi has destroyed my summer Raspberries and I have blight, Phytophthora infestans, so I might as well have three in a row. It started in the Greenshaft and has spread to the others - half way along the tall Sugar Snaps in the background.

[Johnboy]

Oh Geoff my heart goes out to you. What a terrible thing to befall you.
I suspect that this is a viral infection. I know that you grow Sweet Peas and there is a SP Aphid that spreads a virus but I have never seen it so cannot confirm what I have just written.
I think that you should look along this line for an answer.
Sincerely,
JB.

[Monika]

I am really sorry, Geoff, That must be awful for you. May next year's harvest be wonderful!

[Geoff]

Thanks for your commiserations both.
JB - would you expect the Sweet Peas to fail or just pass it on? They are a couple of beds away but the only problem is the wife needs stilts to pick them. Photo taken a bit late in the evening to do them justice.
I searched for pea diseases and found this link expecting me to spray them with a couple of fungicides ( http://www.farminguk.com/news/Unsettled ... 16464.html ) but they didn't die like the picture. I have a feeling it is some sort of root rot. I'm going to grub them up and burn them and keep Peas away from that area for a few years.

[Johnboy]

Hi Geoff,
I said viral because the plants seem to lose colour at the top. I would have expected the Sweet Peas to have suffered though. But the virus is passed on by the Sweet Pea Aphid.
I do take your point about the state of the plants as the are well 'cream crackered!'
I'm afraid I have nothing further to add at present but I will continue to try and find out.
JB.

[Catherine]

Hello everyone, I have only just seen this post and have to say that we lost all our peas to this problem we had about eight five foot rows of differnt sorts of peas. I too have sweet peas on the plot and noticed yesterday that they are also going the same way. Is there anything I can do? Feeding, spraying etc. We also lost all our peas last year and one of the old fogies on our allotment told us that it was because they had finished flowering. We did manage to get some peas off the plants early on but they are now really bad and today I am going to pull them all up (the ones that are left anyway). Does this mean they must not go on the compost? What causes it? Sorry for so many questions.

[Elaine]

Hi everyone. What is Phytophthora please? Pest? Disease? Some of our peas also went the same way as those in Geoff's photo but the pale, papery effect started at the bottom of the plants. Close inspection didn't reveal any aphids. We did manage a fairly decent crop but it could have been better.
It happened last year too but we practice crop rotation so they're not in the same soil.
Cheers.

[Beryl]

This might explain it for you Elaine from the RHS.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/Advice/profiles10 ... hthora.asp

Beryl.

[Geoff]

I have decided my problem starts at ground level that fits with this description but it doesn't mention Lathyrus or Pisum (Sweet Pea, Garden Pea) as susceptible. I'll keep researching.