caterpillars have made a meal of my brassicas

Puddleglum

Help! My sprouts are chomped but so far surviving. The kale has been reduced to tough, indigestable (to the caterpillars) spines. :eek:

Given that caterpillars have probably got as much right to a meal as me and mine, what is the best way to proceed? Do I have time to replant and protect with fleece or should I try to rescue these plants? 4 of the sprout plants are so far untouched.

Many thanks

Puddleglum

A._Badger

You've two choices: spray and then protect from further attacks, or pick them off by hand and protect them.

Whichever you do, you will need to be really careful with the protection. I have anti-cabbage white netting over my raised beds, but if I leave the slightest gap, the damned things still get through.

Janey3

I pick the little blighters off morning and night. Luckily, the little wee sprouts forming on the stems haven't been touched up to now.

rosy798

I had all mine covered but the critters still got in somehow, I dont know how. Didnt check them for a couple of days then when I did, yuk they were everywhere. I tried to save the caulis by putting them in salted water hoping they would crawl out, but when I looked later they were still curled up alive inside the tiny florets. Put me off growing or even eating caulis again. OH said chuck the whole lot I dont want to eat that, and he is the man that eats anything!!!!!

A._Badger

rosy798 wrote: »

I had all mine covered but the critters still got in somehow, I dont know how. Didnt check them for a couple of days then when I did, yuk they were everywhere. I tried to save the caulis by putting them in salted water hoping they would crawl out, but when I looked later they were still curled up alive inside the tiny florets. Put me off growing or even eating caulis again. OH said chuck the whole lot I dont want to eat that, and he is the man that eats anything!!!!!

Personally, I hope that younger gardeners through sad experiences like these, begin to understamd why the previous generations developed insecticides and how, properly used, they have their place.

It has reached the point where almost nothing that works is available to gardeners, thanks to the meddling of the EU, propelled by the efforts of well-funded lobbysists.

It reallly is time this nonsense was stopped and that those of us who trust science more than myth, were free to choose how we garden.

Puddleglum

Thanks for all the help and advice.

I have sprayed the Brussel sprouts and decided to let the caterpillars finish the kale as there is nothing worth saving there now and they grew so fast in the first place. When it stops raining kale and caterpillars will be whisked out and off to the tip before they can wonder where their next meal is coming from. I will then replant new kale seeds and protect them properly.

Puddleglum

katholicos

I've had the same thing happen in my brassica bed this time, so next year i'm going to use environmesh to cover them. It's a learning curve alrighty!