Topic: Pests have slaughtered, destroyed peas

[Icyberjunkie]

Not sure if I'm right to say I'm much happier that I'm not the only one having problems - I'm sure you know what i mean though  :-\   Having no guttering to hand I like the idea of toilet roll tubes Gin.

Do you literally just plug up teh tubes with compost in a tray?  i.e. how do you stop the compost falling out the end?   Or do you mean you use the tubes cut in half like a drain-pipe?......and is it to late to try it this year?

Iain

[Rose.mary]

It's my first year with peas also but so far no problem 8). I sowed the first ones in pots and the second and third straight in the ground. What a lovely sight when they start to come through the soil ;D. My friends and I have been eating them for a few weeks now, but not many reached boiling water. Next year I will sow twice as many, as I had forgotten how good they are eaten straight from the pod.

Rosemary

[Swede Pea]

Not sure if I'm right to say I'm much happier that I'm not the only one having problems - I'm sure you know what i mean though  :-\   Having no guttering to hand I like the idea of toilet roll tubes Gin.

Do you literally just plug up teh tubes with compost in a tray?  i.e. how do you stop the compost falling out the end?   Or do you mean you use the tubes cut in half like a drain-pipe?......and is it to late to try it this year?

Iain

Yep, plug up in tray, you are supposed to make several cuts in one end and then fold those bits inwards to make a base ( in true Blue Peter style!) but I forgot to do for my last lot and they still came out fine.  By the time you have watered and the roots have grown etc the compost compacts down and it doesn't end up falling out the bottom but keep your hand under it just in case.  I grew some for my sister in normal 2x2" seed tray wells and they did just as well, and they had no probs planting out.  As with all plants the less disturbance to the roots the better! 

I reckon it's not too late to grow this year - if you've got a few hanging about just see what they do.  the weather is mimicking Spring still so maybe they will respond as if in May/June!

I grew the 'wrinkled' variety 'Ambassador' which I think is similar to Lord Chancellor, Senator etc. (I'm getting this from Hessayons book 'The vegetable and herb expert' - worth buying for plotters!) It says there are some wrinkled varieties you can sow mid-June-mid-July for picking in Sept-early Oct such as Pioneer and Kelvedon Wonder. so definitely worth a try.

Good luck!

[jennym]

I grow peas every year and have noticed that:
The 'petit pois' varieties, such as Waverex, are hardly ever affected.
The pest does not appear to become active until mid June, so if I sow really early, say early April, it's not so bad, as the peas are being harvested before the pest has time to get to work.
If the crop is covered with horticultural fleece (or Enviromesh if you can afford it) then the pest can't get to it and again the crop is clean.
Hope this helps.

[Robert_Brenchley]

The Kelvedon Wonder I put to soak yesterday had July on the packet as the last month for sowing so I'm hopeful. I put in two packets last week but hadn't bought enough. I soaked them, and the roots were showing through when I planted them after 48 hours.

[Moggle]

Do you literally just plug up teh tubes with compost in a tray?  i.e. how do you stop the compost falling out the end?   Or do you mean you use the tubes cut in half like a drain-pipe?......and is it to late to try it this year?

I will have to politely disagree with Gin. With loo rolls, I just stuff the slightly damp compost in from both ends, then line them up all together in a tray. If you're a bit careful at this point you don't lose any compost. By the time you go to plant them out, the roots of whatever you've sown keep the compost in the tube. I've used them for sweetcorn, sweet peas and beans too :)

[SpeedyMango]

I harvested my peas yesterday - didn't get loads but I was only growing them this year to see if I could, and if it was worth going for a bigger crop next year.

So we sat on our bench and started munching away. They tasted very nice, but unfortunately we only noticed the pea weevils (or whatever they are) after the first dozen pods or so.

Ewww.

Weeny little 'maggots' actually in the peas themselves? It sounds like it might be the moth someone mentioned that lays eggs in the flowers, as there were no holes in the pea pods that I could see.

I kept the crop netted since day one, but obviously these moths must be smaller than the holes in my net! Will try fleece next time, if I can be bothered.

[Macca]

My first year growing peas so i sowed mine early due to my eagerness, took ages to come up but were well established before the weevils had a dig at them. Didn't realise how tall they would grow so will stake better next year, I've been cropping for a couple of weeks now and only the odd one is maggoty. They all go in the pot though, think of it as added protein.

[Swede Pea]

Do you literally just plug up teh tubes with compost in a tray?  i.e. how do you stop the compost falling out the end?   Or do you mean you use the tubes cut in half like a drain-pipe?......and is it to late to try it this year?

I will have to politely disagree with Gin. With loo rolls, I just stuff the slightly damp compost in from both ends, then line them up all together in a tray. If you're a bit careful at this point you don't lose any compost. By the time you go to plant them out, the roots of whatever you've sown keep the compost in the tube. I've used them for sweetcorn, sweet peas and beans too :)

no you're not disagreeing as that is what I ended up doing! a fellow plotter told us to do the cutting bit but I forgot anyway and ended up plugging them like you did and once the root system takes hold they are fine (see reply to chrispea above) I think we are along the same wavelength! It's amazing how many loo rolls our family gets through, they know when its time for sowing seeds as there are bags of them everywhere!

[ruudbarb]

"It's amazing how many loo rolls our family gets through, they know when its time for sowing seeds as there are bags of them everywhere!"

Methinks there is a Machiavellian touch to the cooking around seed sowing time.......... ??? ??? ???

[Icyberjunkie]

Thanks for all that - loo rolls it is then........vindaloo or perhaps phal anyone?   :-*

[Mr Plot]

I lost all my first sown peas as they were all eaten alive, but I sowed some more in plastic drain pipes and transplanted them when they were about three inches high and these are now cropping well.

[plot51A]

Just raided the skip next to my office - nice 12' length of plastic guttering, complete with compost - or something that looks like it  ;D (but have had to tip that out) Should solve my pea problems!