i think it will do you well to check out episodes one and two of my garden blog. they are about 2 minutes long I had horrible luck with growing peas in florida--when i moved to arizona, my luck didnt get any better--however i did learn that peas only require ONE INCH OF WATER PER WEEK. i can't believe it, but i havent watered my pea plant since i've learned this and there is no wilting, and it is growing great. Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Arizona: Episode 1

Although they are called "peas," purple hulls and blackeyed peas are hot-weather plants in the south. I wanted to plant them in April, it was so hot, but I waited, because "according to the rules" of southern gardening, you are supposed to wait until the first of May to plant. Then, the day after I planted them, it turned cool and wet and stayed that way for several days.

I harvested 4 different kinds yesterday. I have a 5th variety growing, but I want seeds from it, and it hasn't gotten big enough yet. I regret not planting PEPH this year, but I guess this is the year of the southern pea trials. The zippers make the biggest peas and have long pods, but the family didn't care for the taste. I have not cooked the others. Whippoorwill has small seeds. It got aphids. Pennyrile I've grown before, we like them. They make good sized seeds and long pods. Red ripper is new to me, slower to start flowering than the others. Then I have some yard long beans which can be eaten like snap beans. (All can be eaten that way if you get the pods small enough. But the long beans can be eaten to a larger size.) Long beans can be allowed to make peas and eaten that way, too. Haricots Rouge Burkina du Faso is the one I want seeds from. It didn't germinate well, so I don't have many plants. Pods are red, turning purple, which is kind of cool. Not very long.

The leaves are starting to turn a purple color? Never had this happen before and trying to figure out what is causing this? Any suggestions and or advice would be greatly appreciated