Pests & Diseases on Peas

Put a stop to fungal infections in good time

The most feared fungal disease in the home garden is the real one mildew. The fungal spores strike especially when the weather is nice and warm. The damage is unmistakable:

• whitish coating on the leaves
• brown discolored pods
• stunted growth

Since a chemical fungicide has no place on food crops, we recommend daily spraying with a milk solution. To do this, mix 1 part fresh milk with 1 part water. The lecithin in the milk kills the spores in the long run.

Defying pests by natural means

The army of pests targeting peas is led by the pea beetle. The 4 to 5 millimeter small, brownish beetle causes the harvest significant damage.

• the larvae settle in the grains
• Pods and peas have numerous holes in them
• Infested vegetables are unsuitable for consumption

To prevent the pea beetle from spreading further, place the infected plants in the freezer for a few days. The peas are then disposed of in the household waste - not on the compost.

Effectively expel pea moth

A butterfly of the unsightly kind is the 8 millimeter small pea moth. The females lay their eggs on the flowers in May and June. The hatched larvae eat their way through the pod and nibble on the seeds.

• preferably early pea varieties plants
• Spread out close-meshed culture protection nets
• Set up glue traps for the nocturnal moths
• use natural predators, such as Parasitic wasps(€ 69.90 at Amazon *) and Predatory mites in the greenhouse or ground beetles and ladybirds in the bed

The larvae descend to the ground after 3 weeks of their vicious activity. There they hibernate in the ground. Repeated, deep tillage prevents infestation in the next season.

Tips & Tricks

Hosts of beneficial insects settle in a near-natural garden. Create retreats such as hedges, dry stone walls, piles of leaves and rotten tree trunks. Hedgehogs, birds, lacewings, ladybirds and other helpful animals are free to help you fight pests.