[Caretaker]

I will be sowing my pea's tomorrow but every year I get that pea moth attack, it leaves a maggot inside the pea.
Any tips on how to combat this.
Reg

[DD.]

Spray at flowering time, or organically cover with fleece/enviromesh.

[Lardman]

I've given up and resorted to chemicals this year. "Bayer Sprayday Greenfly Killer Plus" as per RHS advise.  Last years crop was ruined by the little blighters.

[Sadgit]

think I will spray this year as I was hit a wee bit last year.... sick of my plot being totally covered in fleece

[CARROTTCRUNCHER]

Hello was just wondering what spray you will use to treat this problem , Many thanks CC.

[peapod]

Lardman's answered that question up above CARROTT

[Salmo]

Pea moths lay their eggs at the base of the flower buds. If you are going to spray then the time to do it is just before the first flowers open. Leave it any longer and the maggots will be inside the pods and safe from the spray. This will not give complete protection because flowers formed later will not be protected.

The alternative is fine netting such as enviromesh. I used it last year and di not find one maggot.

[goose]

this is my first year growing peas and i have a question? would you realise you had pea moth before it was too late (so to speak....YUK) 

[DD.]

No. The only way to tell is to pod the peas.

By then - they've had it!

[peapod]

I have been known not to look as Ive been eating (not my own I hasten to add) and then seen maggots in other pods, EWWW!!!

[Mellibelle]

Used to have dreadful pea moth when we lived in Berkshire.  I remember shelling peas on a summer evening and feeding the caterpillars to the sticklebacks in the garden pond!  Now we live at 160 metres above sea level in West Wales - no pea moth! (Bit of a drastic solution, though!)

[MoreWhisky]

Pea moth! something else i have to guard against 'sigh'.

So i take it from lardmans reply we use a greenfly killer spray on this one? at flowering time.

[Trebor]

I have been known not to look as Ive been eating (not my own I hasten to add) and then seen maggots in other pods, EWWW!!!

I actually watched a friend eat one in a restaurant, I only saw it at the last minute and decided just to keep quiet as by that point they probably wouldn’t have wanted to know!

[mumofstig]

Mangetout pea pods are eaten before the peas fully develop, so should need no protection.

Peas can be sprayed with bifenthrin (Bayer Sprayday Greenfly Killer Plus, Doff All In One Garden Pest Killer, Scott Bug Clear Gun)

(Advice from RHS site)