Q: Any idea why my pea plants died, turned brown, and when I pulled them up, their roots were disintegrated? They put out some pods, but not the normal amount, before dying. I have parsnips planted between the rows. Any idea if that could be the reason?

A. Pea plants are susceptible to a number of fungi that can cause their roots to rot, leading to the symptoms you describe. The yield may be low, the above-ground parts of the plant may die prematurely, and the roots may look stunted and strange or rot away entirely.

There are a few things you can do to prevent this in next year’s pea crop:

First, don’t plant peas anywhere you’ve had them in the last three years. Five years would be even better. Rotate the crop to a different part of the garden, and don’t move the soil where the infected

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