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Everlasting sweet peas being destroyed by vine weevils!

DirtyFingernailsDirtyFingernails Posts: 14
in Problem solving
Hi folks,
We are making a garden from scratch on a new build estate, starting from last June.. in March I put in a couple of Lathyrus latifolius (everlasting sweet peas) to grow up a trellis, and they are being destroyed by what I assume are vine weevils - classic small notches damaging all the leaves, and I have seen some adult bugs. Nothing else in the garden seems to be getting damaged, yet these plants have been almost completely destroyed. It seems a bit strange for an infestation to have arrived so fast, so I can only assume they must have come from the nursery. I have ordered some nematodes to try and kill off any grubs in the soil, and will try and control by crushing adults when I see them. Has anyone else had such a problem? Can I do anything else to help? The poor plants are so destroyed I'm almost tempted to cut them down to the ground and start again - will that be OK at this time of the year? Thank you. 
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  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    That’s about all you can do, they take some crushing,  I’m sure they’re armour plated. 
    I wouldn’t cut them down but if you can catch some adults it will help for now then follow on with your nematodes.   They do work, I have used them before. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DirtyFingernailsDirtyFingernails Posts: 14
    Thank you. We are going to be growing vines up a pergola and I don't want them to become infested too - or anything else!
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited April 2023
    @katarney Vine weevils do have favourite plants such as Heuchera and Primula. There were two Heuchera's in the ground where I worked, 2ft apart one infested with them the other no problem.
    I would be surprised if they completely kill a perennial climbing pea the roots are deep but your plants are new. I think you are right they arrived with the plant. The eggs are the colour of soil.

    I was at a GC a few weeks ago and I heard an assitant say' Vine Weevil in this pot' what they do next I don't know.

    I can remember cutting one down[ not sure why] it was slow to get going again.  Could have been lack of water but not sure it was a long time ago. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Are you absolutely sure it's vine weevil @katarney ?
    They certainly don't seem to bother the annuals, even in containers, where plants are always more susceptible. I'd be very surprised if they could devastate a perennial one unless they've been a captive audience for a very long time.

    If it is, the adults do very little serious damage - and it's mostly shrubs [rhodos are a favourite] and a few perennials here and there. Mostly cosmetic. The grubs are a different matter and do the bulk of the damage to certain plants like sedums and heucheras, especially if potted. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @Fairygirl I was suprised that an Everlasting Pea was suffering from vine weevil but you never know.

    @katarney Have you found the cream grubs with a reddish head feeding near the roots?
    It is recently planted the soil should be soft enough to carefully investigate.

    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • DirtyFingernailsDirtyFingernails Posts: 14
    The adults do look like vine weevils and the damage is very characteristic (irregular nibbles around the edges). I think I did see a grub when I had a dig around in the roots. I'll try and take a photo when it's not raining
  • Jenny_AsterJenny_Aster Posts: 945
    I'm pretty much in the same situation as you, this year is our garden's 2nd year too. I also planted from seed some everlasting sweet peas. Maybe I should have cut the sweet peas down last year when we had our first frost, but I didn't and now they're looking very bedraggled, I'm just waiting to see if they'll send new shoots from the base. 

    Previously the garden has always been a field and I'm thinking it's got a leatherjacket infestation. I'm seriously thinking of buying some nematodes for leatherjackets.
    Trying to be the person my dog thinks I am! 

    Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
  • DirtyFingernailsDirtyFingernails Posts: 14
    edited April 2023
    Pics - hmm this doesn't work
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    If your pics won’t appear try reducing the size that usually works. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • DirtyFingernailsDirtyFingernails Posts: 14

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