[Penny Finn]

Strange request I know but have just been watering my peas on the plot and noticed that the edges of the lower leaves all seem to have been eaten by something?  Is there a leaf-cutter that would eat pea plants??  They are definitely eaten in a serrated pattern.  Would be grateful for any advice on how to deal with whatever it is?
Penny

[DD.]

Pea and bean weevil. They'll grow through it.

[RaptorUK]

Pea and bean weevil. They'll grow through it.

Have the same problem on my Broad Beans and Winter Field beans . . .

[Penny Finn]

Thanks for that.  Is there anything I can do to stop them or should I just wait and leave as things are?

[DD.]

RHS advice:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=800

[boddy]

ahhh. my broad beans are like that too!!

[AnneB]

I must have particularly voracious weevils on my plot.  I am afraid my peas don't grow through it, they are munched to death.   The broad beans do grow through OK.  I usually manage to see the weevils off with some garlic spray, which they don't seem to like, but last year I had to re-sow.  They seem to favour different varieties more than others.  Last year and again this, the Sutton's Purple Podded were and are really getting munched, but Lord Leicester (another tall pea) is faring slightly better. 

[RJR_38]

Ooh I have these too and thought it might just be the new variety I was trying this year and that they had serrated leaves. I have had very patchy germination as well so probably all linked

There doesn't seem to be any organic control methods on the RHS site

They were fine last year so any tips for preventing it next year?

[gremlin]

Weevils seems to be really vicious this year.
My broad beans are really struggling, and my first sowing of peas have been nibbled in the same way to death. I have lost 75% of them.

[DD.]

There doesn't seem to be any organic control methods on the RHS site

They were fine last year so any tips for preventing it next year?

If you search the web, the organic control methods advise to pick off by hand and destroy. I take it whoever wrote that had never tried it.

Good plot hygiene can control the numbers or you can fleece to help the plants grow faster. It seems the only way to do away with them is to bite the non-organic bullet!

You will never prevent them.

[RJR_38]

Thanks for that DD. They are in a different bed to last year but the one next door so I will move them as far away as possible next year. I also don't have any fleece so will consider getting some for next year. I wonder if the mild winter allowed more to over winter?

[DD.]

The mild winter is responsible for a lot more pests than usual. We'll have to see what else happens as the year goes on.

Our roses have been absolutely covered in greenfly, but we've not seen a lot of ladybirds who you'd have thought would also have seen an increase in numbers.

As for my peas, yes I've got the nibbles, but I'll leave them to get on with it as usual.

[RJR_38]

I had hundreds of ladybirds overwintering in the roof of my shed so I know I have plenty of those on the plot 

[pigguns]

I took the fleece off my peas in the end as I read they like dry conditions and it wasn't helping predators, and have given up with peas on the plot now- mine didn't grow through them last year, and looking awful now, but home gardens ones looking lush.  The broad beans looking quite pretty with frilly edges  , autumn sown doing better for damage as are taller of course....there was a very early grass mulch under them perhaps that smothered some? but the tender french and runner beans all due to be going out soon, I think I'll plant through mulch