[AlaninCarlisle]

First of all, hello. I'm not brand new to vegetable growing but have a new problem that I've never encountered before. Something, I suspect mice or voles, has individually dug up every pea I've sown in two thirty feet rows. This is the second sowing of peas that has gone this way.

After the first attack I followed traditional advice and pre-soaked the seed in paraffin. All to no avail as when I checked just now, every inch along both rows the white tap-roots of the peas and the green shoots are lying on top of the bed, the peas are devoured.

Is there anything more effective than paraffin? I'm reluctant to start using poison

[mumofstig]

On my plot it's birds that do that
I put over, loosely, a strip of netting until they are well up, and then remove it as they are safe by then

[DD.]

I tightly net mine. They are covered with debris netting raised about 6" and pegged down all around. This seems to stop the birds AND the rodents.

[AlaninCarlisle]

You know mumofstig and DD, I'm starting to wonder if it might be birds after all. What made me think it was mice was the fact that they were destroyed almost before the shoots were showing above soil. I'll try one last sowing and cover with netting. Thanks to you both

Alan

[MichelleC]

Hi there, I planted my peas in both roottrainers and toilet roll tubes and started them off in the greenhouse. All germinated and then delayed planted until they were a good size. I planted them along sweet pea netting as well. I do hear that mice can get into the greenhouse so I always place the newly soon on the top shelf of the staging. Be cafeful with the heat once they're an couple of inches tall as they can mature too soon. Pop them outside to grow a little more and harden off before planting. Cover with netting if you feel it's necessary. I didn't and nothing attacked them. However the very hot weather and not enough water matured mine too soon. I've already got another batch growing.

[DD.]

Can't be doing with messing about.

I've just sown 216 feet of peas - straight in.

[mumofstig]

do you net yours against the moth DD, or just against pigeons.

I've only grown early peas before and the RHS says they usually avoid the moth.....
(I'm sure I would have tasted them if they were in there  :blink: )

[MoreWhisky]

I grow earlies and just net against the pigeons. Ive never had a moth in them when they are ready, but the ones i leave on for next yrs seeds have a few  moths in. So i totally agree with RHS.

[TerryB]

Try starting them in sections of roof cuttering, about 4ft long, then just slide them off the end into the final postion.

[DD.]

do you net yours against the moth DD, or just against pigeons.

I've only grown early peas before and the RHS says they usually avoid the moth.....
(I'm sure I would have tasted them if they were in there  :blink: )

I usually plant earlier than this to avoid the moth, but no way can I net/fleece the area of peas I've got. Afraid it's fingers crossed this year, or a precautionary spray at flower time.

[DD.]

Try starting them in sections of roof cuttering, about 4ft long, then just slide them off the end into the final postion.

Taking into account the peas at home, I'd need over 60 lengths.

[TerryB]

Try starting them in sections of roof cuttering, about 4ft long, then just slide them off the end into the final postion.

Taking into account the peas at home, I'd need over 60 lengths.

Didn't think you were having the proplem!

[DD.]

The OP would still need 15 lengths.

[AlaninCarlisle]

Well, I've now convinced myself it's pigeons not mice since my wife spotted a couple on the seed-bed so I've re-sown and covered with lengths of of chicken netting which are actually a couple of inches above the soil due to distortion after being in  rolls. As one of the posters said, I'd need too much guttering to plant the amount I like to sow

[AlaninCarlisle]

And here we are one and a half weeks on and it's happened again. Thirty foot row of peas with neat 2cm holes all the way along it like a perforation, despite wire-netting covering. Can only be mice