Kitchen Garden Forum

Two years ago I tried peas for the first time - big climbing ones so I would get a decent harvest. Very excited for first pods but all were filled with pea moth larvae Yuck! Really freaked us out and we got virtually no peas (TBH, we gave up looking bacause of the horror potential).

I would like to try some mange tout this year (I got Siraz, as if they were not edible, at least they should be pretty ).

I heard planting at a different time will help avoid the moths laying eggs, but I got conflicting info (ha-ha). Any thoughts to help me get a harvest this time around?

I've been fortunate never to have suffered this problem so can,t really offer advice. Planting at a different time might help if you knew exactly when the moth laying season was and it may vary with the weather and temperature.

Know it looks unsightly but wonder if draping garden fleece over the plants to cover them would protect them?

I grow most veg in succession so they don't all come at the same time, I have peas in cells to go out this week and I will also sow some direct outside as well. I haven't had the moth problem either.

You could spray with some peppermint or garlic oil or crushed mothballs around so the moths can't sniff them out. I've only had the odd one attacked so not a problem. The mice & rats decimate mine though. I would think mange tout wouldn't interest them too much as any pods inside are very tiny & unlikely to sustain them until maturity.

Another excellent suggestion! Thanks all.

Mice and rats are around, but if I sow in pots rather than directly, they are not an issue. That and two cats who keep the rodents in line :

As the Pea maggot doesn’t seem to start feeding until the peas are a good size, Mange-tout and Sugar snap peas should not be affected.

The Pea moth has become a real problem here, so we have all stopped growing main crop peas….but hoping the long Winter might have reduced their numbers.

Thank you, Old Herbaceous, that is what the RHS stated but good to hear from personal experience!
Cheers.