1
point
Why have some of my peas shriveled in the pod?

Pea    NY

I picked my first handful of snap peas this morning while I was watering. They taste delicious but when I opened a few pods I noticed that only 2-4 peas had properly filled while the others were all shriveled. I had a look through the pea disease section and I don't see anything to explain this. Pea streak seems to cause pods not to fill properly but the plants look completely healthy and there are no pests on the leaves either. Is this a pollination problem perhaps? I am growing my first container garden on my balcony so the peas are not in the ground but everything has been going ok (some browning leaves closest to the soil, but it didn't spread). Any insights?


Posted by: Sophie Brooks (3 points) Sophie Brooks
Posted: June 21, 2013


Susan League, UF/IFAS Sumter Program Assistant commented,
What have the temperatures been like in your zone?
almost 11 years ago.

Sophie Brooks commented,
Mainly high 70s to mid 80s for the past week or so. Can this be caused by temperature?
almost 11 years ago.



Answers

1
point
High temperatures above 80-85 can cause some issues with your peas but it sounds like your temps haven't been too bad; however sometimes the high evening temps are a bigger problem. Drought stress can cause it also - inconsistent watering can also be the culprit. I don't know the answer to your question about pollination being a problem. But I can tell you that high median temps and humidity can cause pollination problems.


Posted by: Susan League, UF/IFAS Sumter Program Assistant (1 point) Susan League, UF/IFAS Sumter Program Assistant
Posted: June 22, 2013




1
point
Peas self-pollinate (each flower contains both male and female parts; pollen transfer takes place within each flower). Shriveled or no peas inside the pod indicate poor pollination, usually caused by heat or other stresses on the flowering plants.

You could switch to edible-podded "snow peas" such as Oregon Giant, which you pick before the pods begin to produce seeds. Huge pods, reliably high yields, sweet and tender. Also good for container culture, as they don't grow too tall.


Posted by: Peg Boyles (4 points) Peg Boyles
Posted: June 22, 2013




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