I grew up in Louisiana.

One of our favorite foods was crowder peas and okra.

I've lived in Utah for 30+ years.

Each year I try to grow crowder peas.

My best crop has been from a 100 ft row, 4 ounces of peas.

--that's not very good.

I need help and suggestions on how to get these to grow on this high-desert.

My soil is heavy clay, pH 7, with all the nutriments there, except for nitrogen. It even has the inoculant bacteria already in the soil.

I've done everything I can think of to get them to grow.

Usually they germinate well, put out great cotyledons and 1st leaves, then begin to be stunted, with the new leaves being put out, maybe only, every 1/4 along between leaf nodes. There is no stretch of the stem as you'd expect.

The tallest they've ever gotten is about 5". At that point the upper leaves start falling off and withing a couple of weeks, I'm left with stems, with maybe only a cotyledon left, before it falls off.

The soil isn't that bad. There really isn't any top soil, but the clay still has nutriments. And I fertilize, and give iron as well.

The soil grows hairy vetch very well. If it grows that, I thought it do ok with crowder peas, but not so.

The only thing I can think of is maybe the stunted growth, no harvest is due to the day/nigth temps., and the differential>

Summer time temps get up to 100+ with night temps about 50.

The usual difference between day/night is 30-40 degrees.

Or, being at 40 degrees lat., could the day length be too long? Also, there is no rain here. All plants are grown under irrigation. I use either drip or soaker hose.

The weather turns warm and settled around June 1st, then gets cold about the 2nd week of Sept. that should be long enough for 1 crop.

I've checked for bugs, slugs, pests, root weevils, etc., but never found anything. The poor plants start well, then just drop all their leaves.

It's really disappointing to plant a 100' row and get a harvest of 4 ounces.

Any horticulturists, or ag students, growers, those who know--out there that can help me with this. --I want to be able to grow these veggies, successfully, here.

Suggestions?

Bob