What's eating my peas?

[AMKuska]

I planted a bunch of peas as a cover crop in my garden over winter. Since it was cold not terribly many sprouted, but those that have survived the frosts and snow more or less.

Since I'm not planning to eat them, I've just let them be, but noticed something has been nibbling.

I'm planning to do a 20 foot row of peas nearby in about a month and would rather protect those if I can, but need to know what's eating them.

Any ideas? How do I check?

 

[digitS']

Slugs?

Slime trails?

 

[AMKuska]

I'll set out some beer traps and see. I did find a baby snail when investigating

 

[flowerbug]

a lot of things like peas. slugs/snails would be my first guess from what i see too. good luck.

do you have fence for pea row later?

 

[AMKuska]

The entire 23 feet has a chain link fence to grow on. I grew peas nicely there a few years ago, but didn't maintain the garden space and the grass overtook it.

 

[Dahlia]

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I planted a bunch of peas as a cover crop in my garden over winter. Since it was cold not terribly many sprouted, but those that have survived the frosts and snow more or less.

Since I'm not planning to eat them, I've just let them be, but noticed something has been nibbling.

I'm planning to do a 20 foot row of peas nearby in about a month and would rather protect those if I can, but need to know what's eating them.

Any ideas? How do I check?

Do you have slugs?

 

[AMKuska]

Do you have slugs?

We will find out for sure tomorrow. I'll start slug trapping in all the gardens to try and lower the number out there before I put my starts out. I poked around under leaves and such but only came up with one baby snail. Doesn't mean they're not there, just they're pretty good at hiding.

 

[valley ranch]

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View attachment 55273

I planted a bunch of peas as a cover crop in my garden over winter. Since it was cold not terribly many sprouted, but those that have survived the frosts and snow more or less.

Since I'm not planning to eat them, I've just let them be, but noticed something has been nibbling.

I'm planning to do a 20 foot row of peas nearby in about a month and would rather protect those if I can, but need to know what's eating them.

Any ideas? How do I check?

Could be a small Grasshopper,,,

 

[meadow]

That doesn't look like slug damage to me, although they are the usual culprit. It does look more like a grasshopper, but I think it is too early for those. I've never seen snails here! (except for some little ones brought in on a nursery plant once, a potted blueberry)

 

[Branching Out]

Slug season has started, so that would be my guess too. If you have something along the lines of a big black plastic lid you could place it on the ground, and if there are slugs they may just crawl under it. Then they are easy to dispose of. I find that slugs like being underneath things, for warmth and moisture I would suppose.