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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Garjan on May 18, 2009, 11:21:01

Title: pea survival after pigeon attack?
Post by: Garjan on May 18, 2009, 11:21:01
My peas were growing peacefully to a height of 0,5 metre. Had them protected with netting, but as they were tall enough I took the netting off to allow them more room for further growing.

This weekend the pigeons attacked my peas and half of them are stalks with tiny bits of leave left.   :(
I covered all of them again. But does anybody know whether the victims will regrow? Or should I take them out and resow?
Thanks.
Title: Re: pea survival after pigeon attack?
Post by: daileg on May 18, 2009, 11:54:52
sorry will have to re sow pigeons are the scurge of the earth
if it isnt rabbits its birds this year were haveing to cover everything as its getting out of hand the problem exists due to the cold winter not enought food for the birds around so rob everything they can get there hands on
Title: Re: pea survival after pigeon attack?
Post by: tonybloke on May 18, 2009, 14:46:57
peas will regrow!!, indeed, pinching out the growing tipe will produce more flowers!
keep them netted from now on, though
Title: Re: pea survival after pigeon attack?
Post by: Garjan on May 18, 2009, 16:14:14
Thanks for your replies, daileg and Tonybloke. :-*
As they contradict eachother I will have to wait for some more reactions.

BTW it is not just the growing tips that were pinched. All but some shreds of the leaves were eaten as well. That made me wonder whether the plants had enough foliage to sustain itself.

And I will keep them netted from now on! My golden oldy adviser on the plot, the one that told me it was safe to take the net off, had never seen peas being eaten when they are over 15 centimetres.
Title: Re: pea survival after pigeon attack?
Post by: Tee Gee on May 18, 2009, 16:27:43
Well its an either or from me;

If there are growing tips then yes they will grow again, if not well thats it I'm afraid!
Title: Re: pea survival after pigeon attack?
Post by: tonybloke on May 18, 2009, 20:09:14
all parts of a pea plant are green, and contain chloraphyll, so the plant will survive. I've seen them ravaged in the field, but the farmers don't plough them in, they water them and still get a crop! ;)
Title: Re: pea survival after pigeon attack?
Post by: Garjan on May 19, 2009, 07:48:42
This is probably a first: a consistent "either or" as TeeGee phrases it.

I will treat this as an experiment and leave the ravaged peas in AND resow a few more rows. I keep you posted on the results.

Thanks for the replies.
Title: Re: pea survival after pigeon attack?
Post by: littlebabybird on May 19, 2009, 08:16:11
they will regrow
but since i'm sure you sow peas more than once you will be planting more anyway

lbb