My PEA's are under attack?
Question:i planeted some pea's in my garden. .just to see what happend =D my finger's arent very green. .and there growing well ..but there under attacking from snail's. .etc. . plu the leaves look white. .and i found a white ear wig looken lava thing inside one of the stick's =O can anyone give me some advice to defend them. .and anything else i need to know =D itd be cool if they grew pea's
Answers:
Green fingers are just a state of enthisiasm... sounds like your fingers are green!!
Good tip about beer traps for the slugs but I'd advise against any from of insectiside.. presumably you'll want to eat the produce and there's nothing more satisfying than knowing it's 100% natural.
As far as slugs and snails go.... the more defences you have the better equiped you are for the war... and it is war! Beer traps are effective but can also lure in some useful beetles which will eat other pests and lava such as the type you describe. Try the traps but keep the lip of a container about 1 cm above the soil level, this will keep out the good beetles. Half fill a container with beer, the yeast from the beer attracts the slugs and they climb in and drown. Remember to freshen the contents after rain. Try crushed egg shells, old coffee grindings, gravel or anything with a sharp edge and form a protective barrier around the plant. Your best defence is a torch and a sharp pointed stick, combine this with a late evening search in the garden and let battle commnence.
The white leaves are powdery mildew. Pea plants are quite susceptible to it. You need to remove any part of the plant that appears to be affected. Even if it has flowers or the start of pods. It's hard to just start attacking your plant that you've neen lovingly nurturing but you need to do it to get the best results in the long term (more peas Norma??). Just cut it off and stick it in the bin or burn it (don't compost it as this will infect your compost). The most reliable way to avoid it is to water the plants in the mornings. It's widely reccomended that you avoid any watering during the day and stick to early mornings or evenings but to avoid powdery mildew stick to the mornings only.
They need a form of support once there over a few inches tall. You can use canes with some netting attached. There are various methods and if you do a quick google you'll find the general idea.... see what you have laying around and devise your own system.
Good luck... enjoy your peas, they'll be on your plate before you know it!
Steve
buy a tin
pick off all slugs and destroy them
dust with a insecticide (I only use lime)
place beer traps to get any not seen slugs
slightly cultivate the ground and build up the soil level around the stems
It is an abstract concept to think that peas will grow for you - they probably grew to make more peas - you are an opportunist trying to exploit the peas struggle for life. The snails and ear wigs are also opportunists although they are a little more reliant on the outcome for their success. I think snails and ear wigs are more interesting than peas, they both wiggle and snails have only one slimy foot. - The solution is to grow two batches of peas - peas outside for the peas, snails and earwigs to survive, peas on the inside to allow your mind to feel as if it really is in control of a little green plant and it's growing process. - Good luck.
It is white fly .Try spraying them with a solution of washing up liquid and water.
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