Garden pests - Ask Extension
In a 2 1/2 ft raised bed I’m growing snap peas and the blooms are just starting. Something is eating just the tips of the plant. I’ve not seen an...
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Garden pests #930704
Asked May 05, 2026, 2:16 PM EDT
In a 2 1/2 ft raised bed I’m growing snap peas and the blooms are just starting. Something is eating just the tips of the plant. I’ve not seen any bugs.
What could they be and what can I do. I garden with others and we have an organic environment.
Thank you for your help.
Multnomah County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi Bobbi and thanks for your question about the tips of your peas. Unfortunately, the tips of pea plants are VERY tasty, even for humans. I use them in my salads when I have a good crop. Slugs and snails are possible but you should see a slime trail to give them away. If so, get out the slug bait!
If you have deer or rabbits, you may need a better fence around the area. Deer need a 6 foot high fence and rabbits need a fence buried 6 inches into the ground. Birds will eat the pea tips, but it would be unlikely they would cause much damage.
In my Clackamas County garden, it is the rabbits that get the peas and we have had to put in a fence to keep them out. They usually eat the whole plant though, so I'm back to slugs as a likely culprit. Go out at night with a flashlight and see if you can catch something doing the damage. Then you will know how to treat it!
If you have deer or rabbits, you may need a better fence around the area. Deer need a 6 foot high fence and rabbits need a fence buried 6 inches into the ground. Birds will eat the pea tips, but it would be unlikely they would cause much damage.
In my Clackamas County garden, it is the rabbits that get the peas and we have had to put in a fence to keep them out. They usually eat the whole plant though, so I'm back to slugs as a likely culprit. Go out at night with a flashlight and see if you can catch something doing the damage. Then you will know how to treat it!
