Peas in the pipeline

For the second year running my peas and mangetout have been chomped by bugs. My plot seems to have pea weevils, at least I’m pretty sure that’s the cause, though none of my neighbours seem to suffer the same fate. 

Last year I carefully sprayed them with a pesticide quite successfully, but it was just too windy whenever I tried this year and I didn’t keep on top of it. 

So a couple of weeks ago I called it quits and hoed the whole row – I’d had it with peas. 

…and then I changed my mind and had a cunning plan – one that I’d heard about and seen fellow bloggers trying. 

I called for help on our amazing village Facebook page (snippet below with names removed to protect the innocent)

  
 

Amazing! Seriously I could write a whole blog on how brilliant and helpful this page is!

So, two lengths of guttering acquired, I filled them with a compost/soil mix and sowed one with peas and one with mangetout. The gutters are in the front garden, away from the little pea-munching blighters and close-at-hand for watering. I’m using netting to stop the blackbirds digging about. 
  
It’s a bit late for sowing peas, but I’ll keep my eye on them and – if they manage to grow into strong little plants  – I’ll slide them into a row at the allotment. 

Strong plants should withstand a weevil attack. We’ll see how it goes.