My Sweet Pea Bush Is Dying

Heat

• Sweat peas are delicate flowers that bloom in the spring. Heat is very hard on these plants and kills them quite easily. If you have a particularly hot spring, the heat may kill the flowers early. The only way to try and extend their life is to keep the flowers moist. The heat also draws the moisture out of the soil. Cooler, damper soil helps the flowers survive longer once temperatures start to rise. Sweet peas can be grown most places, but should be planted in the autumn for United States Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness zones 8 and above, and as early as possible in spring for zones colder than 7. Sweet peas flower after about 50 days in regions where the weather stays cooler than 60 degrees F

Aphids

• Aphids are a common insect problem on sweet pea bushes. They love to feed on the leaves of the plant. In addition to the damage they cause to the leaves, they may introduce a disease to the bush as well. Aphids planted too late in the season are more likely to suffer aphid attacks because the insects enjoy heat. Water your plants at the beginning of the day so that they dry out before evening, as aphids are also attracted to damp environments. If you have aphids on your sweat peas, find an insecticide that targets aphids that won't harm the plant and apply according to the label's directions.

Fungal Disease

• Examine the leaves of a dying sweet pea bush and look for signs like white powder or growths on the leaves, black or rotted spots or other abnormal colored spots or growths on the plant. Fungal diseases like downy and powdery mildew and rust are concerns with sweet peas. Fungicide helps reduce these problems if applied at the first signs of disease. Fungus that covers entire leaves or that is present on a majority of the leaves is likely advanced. If the problem doesn't subside after a fungicide treatment, the diseased parts of the plant or the entire diseased plant should be removed to prevent further transfer of the fungus.

Viral Disease

• Sweet peas are vulnerable to a few viral diseases on top of the fungal ones that may be killing them. Pea enation is one viral disease that kills sweet peas. The virus strikes most often during hot summers. This disease's primary symptoms include clear windows appearing in the leaves of the plant and puckering on the leaves. Other viral diseases that sweet peas can catch include the Pea mosaic and tomato spotted wilt virus. Viral diseases can't be treated, meaning the plants should be destroyed to avoid infecting others.