Kitchen Garden Forum

House Sparrows are pecking around the flowers at the top of my peas. Will they damage the plants or are they just after the greenfly in the flowers?

MikA

This is really serious I'm afraid Mika. Unless you do something like net your peas carefully, you won't be getting many fresh peas with your dinners this year. They eat the young shoots, flowers and tiny pods.
The only way I can ever grown peas successfully round here is to have a row between the bushes in my fruit cage.

John

Thanks John
I've just spent a happy ? day rebuilding my protection cage for the peas. The sparrows are indeed nibbling the flowers. I may not cover all the peas in pots as I don't begrudge the sparrows the odd bit as they have just fledged their young and are looking for the best food for the young. I shall just have to put out more food for them. Strategy may change if the wood-pigeons start on them.