Peas

June 10, 2017

  I was wondering if you can tell me what this is on our English Peas.  The leaves are turning solid white and has a white powdery coating.  This usually happens every year at the end of their producing.

You have a pretty spectacular case of powdery mildew.  I do think that weather plays a part and warm temperatures typically signal the end of the growing season for English peas.  English peas are cool season crops. They drastically slow-down in production when the temperatures begin to warm up.  Warm temperatures begin the decline and vigor of the plant which would make them more susceptible to diseases, and then all the rain we had exacerbated it.  Some varieties such as Terrain and Cavalier are resistant to powdery mildew. Resistance doesn’t mean they can’t get it, but they are more tolerant.  Since it only happens at the end of the season, I would not worry too much about it. 

August 6, 2016

    I just returned home from three weeks of vacation and found that the leaves of my cowpeas are covered with a black         powder that doesn't brush off. I've attached a picture. Can/should I do something about it? The plants have just begun   flowering. I 

You have (or had) a nice crop of aphids. These tiny insects suck the sap out of the plants and give off sticky honeydew.  Wherever the honeydew resides, a black sooty mold will form. Kill the aphids, and you take care of the problem.  With our recent heavy rains and wind, that may have solved the problem, since aphids are poor swimmers.  If not, insecticidal soap should do the trick

I just returned home from three weeks of vacation and found that the leaves of my cowpeas are covered with a black powder that doesn't brush off. I've attached a picture. Can/should I do something about it? The plants have just begun flowering. 

 You have (or had) a nice crop of aphids. These tiny insects suck the sap out of the plants and give off sticky honeydew.  Wherever the honeydew resides, a black sooty mold will form. Kill the aphids, and you take care of the problem.  With our recent heavy rains and wind, that may have solved the problem, since aphids are poor swimmers.  If not, insecticidal soap should do the trick.