Topic: Pea moth?

[lewic]

Have got some sugar snap peas on the go in the mini greenhouse, was planning to plant them up the trellis fence that borders my plot, at the end of the bed where my rasberries are, so I could cover both with a fruit cage.

Have just read about pea moth though, which has scuppered my plans a bit. The trellis fence will keep birds out but not insects.

Dont fancy having to check every pod for the critters.. so what would people recommend? Assume I will have to line the fence and fruit cage with super-fine mesh, and put some canes inside for the peas to climb up, as the trellis will be covered with mesh? How fine a mesh would I need?

[Robert_Brenchley]

The last two summers have walloped them so hard I hardly had one last year. I think we're OK for this year, but they will doubtless be a problem again soon.

[nittynora]

We have found some tiny maggots/caterpillars in several pods this evening - Mr Hessayon's description of pea moth seems pretty close  :'(

Does this mean that we've lost the crop?  We have a double row, overwintered and has been cropping well.  It's probably on it's last legs by now as the pods seem to be getting crusty faster than we can pick them but there are still a lot of developing pods.

Can we save anything? ??? Or should we cut losses.

We have a second late spring sowing that is just starting to flower but no pods yet.  Can we protect this at all??

Any advice gratefully received.... I love peas!

[Fork]

Spraying when the flowers open is the only way I think.Not quite sure actually when to spray but I know you have to do it more than once.

Although saying that.I never sprayed last year and only had a handful of peas with pea moth grubs in!

[nittynora]

What do we spray with?  Nothing too nasty I hope - we are not entirely organic (partial to the odd slug pellet  ;) ) but do not want to decimate the wildlife

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

they usually are only in one or two peas in the pod. The rest are fine, so long as you are OK with a bit of Pea Moth Poo

No sign of them on ours yet this year

[nittynora]

Great - thanks Rhubarb

Will pick over the pods one pea at a time ............................ ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

Just give them a rinse in a colander, that'll do it. One pea at a time is overkill.

[saddad]

If you are eating them whole, as Mangetout you'll hardly notice...  :-X

[jennym]

You dont have to spray. If you cover the peas with fleece or small gauge enviromesh when they are in flower, the pea moth won't get to them. You may also find that very early sowings and very late sowings don't get attacked so much, as the pea moth won't be around when the peas are in flower.

[thifasmom]

If you are eating them whole, as Mangetout you'll hardly notice...  :-X

hence why i only grow mangetout ;)

[littlebabybird]

If you are eating them whole, as Mangetout you'll hardly notice...  :-X

hence why i only grow mangetout ;)

need a little vomiting smiley

[thifasmom]

If you are eating them whole, as Mangetout you'll hardly notice...  :-X

hence why i only grow mangetout ;)

need a little vomiting smiley

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