Another daft question

[LesMiserable]

I'm really enjoying my first year on my allotment, but I have a daft question for you experienced ones......
I have sewn peas in two beds. On one bed, the peas have done really well under their cloche, and are now so big, the cloche will have to come off.
The other bed I didn't use a cloche (as I didn't have a spare) and the peas look pathetic, as something (I blame pigeons) have eaten the leaves away to just the central veins.
Main question: I have some heavy duty agricultural mesh and can build a "tent" for the peas, but it will prevent insects from getting to pollinate the pea flowers. Will that mean no peas?
Secondly, if I move the cloche to cover the "moth eaten" examples, will they recover, or am I best pulling them up and trying something else?
Many thanks for your patience.

[burnie]

I would try the cloche on the eaten ones, the extra warmth at night might help them pick up a bit, regards the mesh it should be ok to use and take it off when you are on site to let the bugs in.

[nickdub]

Peas are able to self pollinate, so any sort of mesh even if excludes bees will be fine. The damage you describe however does not sound precisely what I would expect if pigeons are the culprits, though of course if you have seen a flock of them pecking away that would be conclusive :-) There are lots of things which enjoy eating your peas, various bugs amongst them so whatever-else you try I'd suggest being really careful not to transfer some undesirables from the one part of your garden to another by moving stuff around which may have unwanted hitch-hikers on it.

BTW although cloches are good for getting stuff into growth early and protecting plants, one downside is that when they are taken off the plants then have to cope with whatever weather happens unprotected and the lush, succulent new growth which was being protected before is now made available by you for various critters to have a go at. Learning by doing is a common theme for all new gardeners - we've all been there but it can be a painful way of gaining experience.

PS there are some stupid answers, but there has never been a stupid question,

Happy gardening :-)

[LesMiserable]

Many thanks for your collective help, will try to save the existing plants.
P.S. My neighbouring allotment holder says mice are the culprits!
We will see, I might set a mouse trap or two.

[nickdub]

Mice usually take the whole plant, not just nibble on the leaves - if you post a photo we might be able to tell from the damage - sounds a bit like thrips but rather early in the year for them.

[Bren In Pots]

One year I didn't cover my peas with debris netting and the young Sparrows eaten out the majority of the growing tips. I've always netted since then.

[mothhawk]

Sparrows here too. I surround the row with fleece about a foot high until the peas are 18 inches to two feet high, by which time the spugs have lost interest.