[MickyB]

The 'old hand' on the next door plot (30 years a plot holder) has advised me to spray my pea's to prevent maggots infesting the pods. I wanted to avoid using chemicals so apart from covering them up (probably to late anyhow) is there anything else that can be done, although I would sooner not use chemicals it would still be better than harvesting maggots    Would the chemicals matter so much on pea's? After all the spray goes on the flowers and the pea's are in pods  Maybe there is something organic I could use or could you recommend something safe to use?

[allotmentor]

• This bane of pea growers is best avoided by ensuring peas flower before mid June or after July when the adults are laying:
  
  • A fast-maturing early crop - to flower before mid-June: sow in autumn under cloches, indoors in late winter or under cloches in early spring
  • A mildew-resistant late crop - sow after mid-May
• Physical barriers such as fleece or enviromesh are also successful - I cover mine with enviromesh as soon as I see a flower

If the worst comes to the worst, the unaffected peas in the pod are normally fine - just rinse to remove and traces of frass...although if you're growing sugar snaps or mangetout, that's not much comfort!

[Beetroot queen]

I think some of my peas are going to flower at this time. Grrrrr i have seen the pea maggots before, gross is all i can say, put me off peas for awhile. I have debris netting on mine but that wont stop it will it, i will have to dig out my enviromesh

[mumofstig]

Yes, because of the cold late spring delayed sowings, it will catch a lot of us this year  - unless it makes the moths late as well 

[Beetroot queen]

Yes, because of the cold late spring delayed sowings, it will catch a lot of us this year  - unless it makes the moths late as well 

Wishfull thinking MOS we can but hope i suppose 

[Aunt Sally]

I will be spraying my peas when they are flowering. 

[allotmentor]

I think some of my peas are going to flower at this time. Grrrrr i have seen the pea maggots before, gross is all i can say, put me off peas for awhile. I have debris netting on mine but that wont stop it will it, i will have to dig out my enviromesh

Agreed, puts me off too but I now set the children to shelling them if they have the caterpillars - amazingly, if they're young enough, it doesn't seem to bother them.

[mumofstig]

I will be spraying my peas when they are flowering.

What will you spray them with? 

[Aunt Sally]

An insecticide.

[DD.]

 

I must admit to giving mine a dose of Provado Ultimate Bug Killer if I deem it necessary. (It probably will, this year).

[Beetroot queen]

Oooh i have some of that ready, no way i am letting that bug have my peas.

[Aunt Sally]

I must admit to giving mine a dose of Provado Ultimate Bug Killer if I deem it necessary. (It probably will, this year).

That's the one 

[DD.]

It doesn't half make the pea weevil hop as well!

[mumofstig]

I must admit to giving mine a dose of Provado Ultimate Bug Killer if I deem it necessary. (It probably will, this year).

  

Thanks DD. 

[MickyB]

The Provado Ultimate Bug Killer is the one I had decided on purely because it specifies that it is for fruit and veg which can be eaten soon after spraying - so it must be reasonably safe to use.

Do I just give the whole plant a spray or just concentrate it on the flowering parts? The rain is back would it wash off if I sprayed in light rain or if I sprayed shortly before a downpour?

I am off to B&Q tomorrow to pick some up.

Funnily enough I picked up a copy of the 'Kitchen Garden' magazine which contains an article on the same topic and also recommends using Provado Ultimate Bug Killer - if not using netting/fleece. 

Thanks for the suggestions 

BTW: Unlike my first post I didn't get notified that a reply to this post had been made, is there a check box that I should tick?.............. update found the notify button