sweet peas

[mamapetal]

I have lovely sweet peas in the garden but the flowers are full of beatles. Anyway I can get rid of them? I brought a bunch in the other day but the kitchen window was soon plastered with these tiny things and DP has banned me from bringing them in again.

submerge them in water in the sink for an hour, the beasties should float to the top. You musn't stop picking them, they will stop flowering! And your home would be a sadder place without them.

Or give them a sharp tap and the bugs fall out.

Actually, I put the flowers in the utility room for an hour before bringing into the kitchen for the same reason.

Sorry to kidnap the thread but we started growing sweet pea this year and have been battling with loads of beasts :-) first loads of slugs which seems a little bit under control and this morning I just noticed loads of wee green crawling creatures that looks like a small green worm. Is there any thing I can use to get rid of them, preferably using an organic method? many thanks

sorry, don't know much about small crawling creatures could they be catterpilars Anyone got experience of 'dealing' with them? ta

here's a caterpillar

they like leaves normally, esp. brassicas eg cabbages

pick them off and put them on something else if you like butterflies

taffeta - I shall try the water method and see if that works. It's such a shame not to be able to bring them in - they could also make lovely end of year presents for DS teachers.

tortoise - no green worms on my sweet peas-so can't help.

thank you very much for the picture Taffeta. That is it, caterpillars, they are kind of small, approx 2 cm long most of them and very thin. I tried to pick them and caught about 40ish, and I guess there is much more around. I have to say that I clarified with husband and he said it is actually normal peas that we have and not 'sweet pea' (can't find a VERY embarassed emoticon or would use it) My knowledge of plants is a bit limited lets me put this way Don't know if I can catch them all if there is so many of them, oh dear, what shall I do?

That makes sense, bluetortoise. They leave my sweet peas alone but have decimated the leaves on some of my pea plants, but don't seem to eat the peas themselves.

Best way is to pick them off and put them far away on some other green leaf you aren't bothered about. Then you will have lovely butterflies soon. And peas.

We have started picking some or most of the peas up (I mean, hubby and 2.5 yo DS) so I am a little bit less concerned about them attacking the peas now (they seem to have started trying to bite some of the peas but they only got as far as the skin so we are keeping a close eye on them . I will try to have a look at them at the weekend again and pick some more (caterpillars) up and decide what to do with them Thanks for getting back to me anyway Taffeta, appreciate it