Conscientious care creates resistant pea plants. However, they are not completely immune to diseases and pests. Fungi, viruses and insects lurk throughout the season. A whole arsenal of biological control agents is available to plagued hobby gardeners.
Stop fungal infections in time
The most feared fungal disease in the home garden is powdery mildew. The fungal spores strike particularly when the weather is nice and warm. The damage is unmistakable:
- whitish coating on the leaves
- brown pods
- stunted growth
Since a chemical fungicide has no place on food plants, 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 puts an end to the spores in the long run.
Defy pests with natural means
The army of pea pests is led by the pea beetle. The 4 to 5 millimeter small, brownish beetle causes considerable damage to the crop.
- the larvae settle in the grains
- Pods and peas have numerous holes
- infested vegetables are unfit for consumption
To prevent the pea beetle from spreading further, place the affected plants in the freezer for a few days. The peas are then disposed of with household waste - not on the compost.
Drive out pea moths effectively
A moth 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 plant early pea varieties
- spread tight-knit culture protection networks
- Set up sticky traps for the nocturnal moths
- use natural predators, such as parasitic wasps (€22.99) 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 nefarious activity. There they overwinter in the ground. Repeated, deep tillage effectively prevents an infestation in the next season.
tips and 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, ladybugs and other helpful creatures will help you free of charge in the fight against pests.