Re: rodents and peas

In a message dated 2/19/99 5:57:48 AM Pacific Standard Time,
allan@crwys.demon.co.uk writes:

<< Surely the idea of Sugar Snap peas is to pick them before the actual
 peas inside are any real size, that is the pods are still flat. They are
 a type of 'mangetout' (eat-all in English)'. If you treat them this way
 then the mice would not have anything to take.
 I presume you are training the peas up nets or something, they are tall peas
and if not trained would be easier for the mice to reach. The only other thing
I can think of is the number of plants, we grow all our peas in 50 ft.double
rows, anything shorter the damage would be that much more obvious.
  >>
I actually prefer the taste and crunch of this vegetable when the seeds inside
are mature and the pod is fleshier,  and unfortunately so do the mice.  I
erroneously tend to use the term Sugar Snap to refer to all snap peas.  I am
actually having problems with the variety Sugar Mel which is shorter in height
-- about 2 - 3 feet -- than the variety Sugar Snap.  

I have also been having trouble with regular peas as well,  tho not as much.
I prefer to plant the shorter varieties because on occasion I have extremely
stong,  erratic winds which can decimate anything tall.

I think I will take your suggestion and plant them all less densely than I
have been, so there isnt as much of a thicket for the rodents to crawl.  As
well as take greater care in making sure they are securely trained upright.
They do kind of slouch over on occasion.

Thanks for the suggestions.  Janet.
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