Do dwarf peas need netting?

[selfraising]

I have covered my feltham dwarf peas with netting because thats what I thought you had to do but am wondering now if I need to do this for dwarf peas. What exactly is the netting for? Sorry if this sounds daft but never grown peas before

[PAULW]

To stop the pigeons scoffing the lot

[bramble]

Unless i have got the wrong end of the stick, the netting is for the peas to climb up.
I grow Early Onward and kelvdon Wonder and put netting with twigs in between to give the pea tendrils something to grab onto.
Maybe someone else will have other ideas.

[ukmastiff]

There are definately 2 uses for netting ( at least ) one is as a support the other is anti 'theft' :P.

I put four pea seedlings out as a trial to see what would happen and they were eaten overnight nibbled to a millimetre from the ground.

My main pea crop has sprouted outside so I have covered then entirely with a 25 foot long closh made from plastic sheeting draped over a row of sticks 2 foot high with some string between the sticks for support.

Is this cloching of the pea seeedlings acceptable ? ? , if i dont the rabbits will do the lot in a night.

Cheers Mas

[Alice]

Selfraising, dwarf peas don't need netting for support but they can use a little help. I just push a cane in at each end of the row and tie a couple of parallel rows of string to the canes. That's all the support they need.
You're probably wise to put some netting over them to keep the pests off - pigeons and sparrows will help themselves.

[selfraising]

Thanks Alice
In that case I will keep the netting on as we have quite a log of wood pigeons round here.

[Eyren]

Last year I put chicken wire (supported by canes) around the outside of my rows of dwarf peas - it protected the plants when they were small and vulnerable, and gave them some support as well. This year I'm growing tall peas, but I think a similar strategy will help them too.

[susiewoosie]

Another daft question. Do seagulls cause the same problems as pidgeons?