Lucy the puddle dog and I were out in the garden yesterday when we noticed not a single pea we planted a few weeks ago had broken through the soil yet. 
Instead, all of the peas had all been pulled up by a vicious flock of birds and either gobbled up or left to die a miserable death on top of the garden bed. {I suspect the robins did it}.
So we had to plant the peas again. 
That Lucy, she’s the best garden companion on the planet. 
As long as she gets a sample.
Have you planted your peas yet? How are they doing? Have you experienced any gang activity from the wildlife in your backyard this season?
Mavis wants to know.
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Paula says
This is why I started planting my peas in a long rather than a wide row. Until the seedlings are growing strongly, I suspend a 2″ x 2″ about 1 inch over the row (I use rocks to hold it up). It keeps both the birds and the squirrels from disturbing the seedlings. Peas are the only crop the birds show any interest in, but ALL my seedlings need protection from the squirrels, and last year, the rabbits caused so much damage to my bean seedlings, I was worried I wouldn’t get a crop at all. But I did.
E says
In upstate NY, still have snow cover over the garden area. Only places where the sun really shines has no snow. Now, if only the ground would unfreeze! We’ve had so much snow and melting ice, that I can’t get into my garage, the high water has gone under the door and created a pool of ice inside, keeping the door from moving!
Deer scat from the winter is all over the back yard – helps fertilize the grass! Birds are around, including robins. Haven’t seen them yet, but sure can hear them in the early morn, talking up a storm.
Heidi P says
Oh my goodness you gave me a flashback to last year. If the birds are going to destroy a seed and pull it out I’d much prefer they just eat it. Leaving it to die is so frustrating.
We are in Oregon and I have planted our snap peas. Not much activity yet but I’m guessing it will be any day now. I’d best be getting out there and building a trellis of some sort. I used a string type last year for my peas and beans and although it did fine I think I’d prefer something sturdier.
I also bought six sugar snap pea starts that are the bush variety. I’ve never planted this kind before so I’ll be curious how they produce and if they are any good.
Susan says
We have the same problem with the crows and blackbirds! Sooo frustrating to plant and go out to find the seedlings laying on top of the ground – just plucked and left!
We put a net on top of the whole garden. Otherwise – we would get NOTHING with the birds, deer and other critters helping themselves.
Joy says
OMG OMG OMG! The exact same thing happened to me except I think it was the squirrels because they DUG UP THE ENTIRE BED! I replanted and put a cage made out of chicken wire over the entire box so they will be fine now. I was so suprised because I did not think they would bother them. I was pretty sad too because I think I waited really late to plant peas where I am at in the south and I don’t know if they will do okay now. Peas were the one thing I was most excited about growing this year becuase I never have before and I love English Peas. Oh well , you garden and learn. Squirrels are so TRICKY! Ha!
Deborah says
No peas here, but i wanted to say that Lucy looks so big! I love seeing her in your posts. 🙂
PattyB says
It is nearly time to plant peas in Denver…. but I haven’t seen the Robins yet. I haven’t had any problems with the critters in the past but that may be due to my Golden Retriever, Baxter He loves chasing Squirrels but he really hates black birds and I don’t know why. He sees them in he trees and barks and barks at them. They never come in the yard tho. =)
Sue V says
Make sure you put slug bait around the peas and be patient. Mine were also planted two weeks ago and I’m still waiting for them to emerge. It takes time.
EE says
Ground squirrels patiently waited for my dwarf nectarine to produce a bumper crop of awesome looking nectarines. I waited and fussed over that silly tree for months as I watched the blooms grow into what appeared to be delicious and succulent homegrown goodness(I’ll never know). Just the right amount of light, water, and a whole bunch of TLC. Only I was unaware of the four legged furry fruit assassins lurking within striking distance. I go out to see if they’re ready to be picked and something seemed off, not entirely sure I shrug it off and tend to my little tree, all the while thinking to myself tomorrow I’ll pick them and we can have them for breakfast (seeing that the weekend was upon us). I go out the following morning and the little tree is stark nude (think water world and the tomato plant). There isn’t a single piece of fruit on my little tree. A week later I find a pile of pits on a rock overlooking our yard that poor little tree. The squirrels were watching, waiting, and planning their attack. The pit remnants were like a hit-man’s calling card and I think that made it all the more infuriating. It has never bloomed again like it did that year.
Paula says
Hah! The exact same thing happened last year with our Asian pear tree!
Julie says
My peas haven’t popped up yet (I am in the Pacific NW.) However, I caught my cat using my garden box for a litter box. The rascal! So I put wire fencing scraps on top of the soil, but they don’t quite cover the entire box. Thanks to Paula’s comment about the 2×2, I’ll be adding some scrap wood cover until the sprouts are tall enough.
Dale says
I soaked then planted my peas 3 weeks ago and they are just starting to come up. Haven’t had any problems with birds or squirrels yet. Fingers crossed. I’ve never had trouble with slugs eating my peas but they sure do love the beans and everything else. Beer traps seem to work the best to keep the little monsters at bay.
Cecily says
No problem with my peas. I planted them three weeks ago. Had an 80 percent germination rate and they are about half an inch tall now. I don’t soak my peas before planting. It is so wet this early in the year here (Tacoma) that they would likely rot if I added additional water to them. No problem with birds or other pests, even the chickens don’t seem to be interested in them.
Meredith says
Hi Mavis! 😀 I planted my peas indoors. I ended up germinating in the laundry room and set up the lights in the garage, no heating mats needed. I just needed to get past that cold snap we had. (I’m in Puyallup.) Even with the light one inch above the light, they are still a bit leggy, but growing their real leaves! My peas are surviving the most (haha) and I have artichokes too. I have some extra artichoke seedlings if you would like them, the stems are nice and thick and something is growing out of the two leaves. Total newbie I know. 😀 May I ask if you do anything to avoid birds or other wildlife from getting in your garden? I did the hardware cloth at the bottom of my beds (12″) to avoid moles, but am afraid the birds are going to eat all my hard work! My peas are about 12″ high…dirt is coming tomorrow so I can plant them soon! Thank you for all your help and let me know about the artichokes! 😀
Mere
Diane says
I wish I could start planting my garden. The Winter in Chicago has been horrible! I did start a herb garden in doors : )
Carrie says
I planted my pea seeds 11 days ago and they are just now emerging. Now I’m worried about the robins – I have lots of them living around my house and garden. This is the first time I’ve planted peas so only time will tell.
Kevin Wilson says
This happened to us the third year in this garden. Firs 2 years, no interest from birds whatsoever. Third year: an entire 20ft bed of peas pulled out, leaving just 2 pea plants in the whole bed. So now I put chicken wire over the bed as soon as I finish seeding, which successfully keeps off the birds.
You do have to remember to take off the wire before the peas grow through it more than an inch or so. If you don’t, you can’t get it off without ripping up the peas, and the weeds have a field day because you can’t get to the soil to weed!
Cindy says
I love your blog-so inspiring! I have totally dealt with this problem (darn starlings)! The thing that seems to work for me was to string lines with hanging strips of aluminum foil or shiney cello paper over the top of my newly planted seeds. It looks kind of funny for a while, but once the plants are established I take the lines down. There’s something about the reflective strips dangling in the wind that overloads their little bird brains and keeps the pesky critters away. It’s also a cheap solution! (No pun intended.) 🙂