What Can I Do If My Pea Plant Is Dying?

Mulching

• Mulching peas with grass clippings or other organic mulch retains moisture and keeps the soil cool. Begin mulching early, when peas are 3 to 4 inches tall, for best results. Replace mulch as it decays to keep the soil covered and prevent soil from warming excessively in the summer sun.

Watering

• Peas prefer moist soil and wither and die quickly in hot, dry weather. Water peas deeply to saturate the soil to a depth of 4 to 6 inches once or twice a week to keep the soil moist. Without adequate water, peas cannot thrive or produce fruit.

Soil pH

• Acidic soil, with a pH of 6.0 or below, inhibits the growth of peas, but is difficult to alter once crops are planted. Limestone or wood ashes applied to the soil before planting raises the pH, but both take time to work. Amend the soil following the recommended application rate on the container in the fall to adjust the pH for next year's crop.

Fertilizer

• Peas require adequate fertilizer to produce abundant foliage and pods. Lack of fertilizer may be exhibited by slow, stunted growth and yellowing leaves. Side-dressing peas with 10-10-10 fertilizer when they are 4 to 6 inches tall gives them a boost of nutrients and often produces rapid growth.

Weeds

• Keeping the pea patch free of competing weeds encourages lush growth and reduces the chances of disease. Unruly weeds compete for water and nutrients and may inhibit pea growth. Removing weeds regularly improves the growth of peas, but care must be taken not to disturb the roots of your peas when cultivating. Cut large weeds at the ground level to prevent disrupting the roots of pea plants.