We’ve been happily eating purple sprouting broccoli, cabbage and brussel sprouts this last month, regularly. We can see our veg plot clearly from the back garden and, just recently, i have started to see changes in the shape of the plants. At first i thought it was some of the leaves dying back, but on closer inspection we have an infestation.
This happened last year, so i bought a moderately expensive enviromesh sheet and some metal poles to cover the brassicas, which the beasties love so much. I took this off last month as i thought all the butterflies has disappeared, but it seems they hadn’t.
Problem is, i can’t get at the veg when the bed is covered, but if i take it off, stuff gets eaten! Not sure what the solution is to be honest, i thought the butterflies stopped laying when the weather got colder, but it seems the Indian Summer we have been having of late has brought them back out.
I hate to say it, but i may have to stop growing brassicas apart from the small ones such as cabbage and cauliflowers that are easily accessible, and can be kept covered throughout the year. Anyone else have an organic solution!?
October 27th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
How depressing. I would have thought that there wouldnt be any caterpillars now either.
October 28th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Boil some hot chillies, using the resulting hot chili water as a caterpillar deterrent.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
My old man used to use washing up liquid and water.
October 29th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Hello,
Sorry to bother you but I am trying to spread the message about the nationwide problems with contaminated manure. I hope you have heard about it - if not try this link to our website http://www.glallotments.btik.com/p_Contaminated_Manure.ikml
You may have already done this but I am afraid I haven’t had time to browse your website fully, but if not would you consider placing a warning on your website as this problem hasn’t gone away - contaminated manure could be in the system for a year or two yet even if the herbicide that has been temporarily withdrawn is never used again.
Now is the time that many gardeners will be obtaining manure and anything we can do to prevent others from experiencing the problems faced this year is worth a try.
October 29th, 2008 at 10:57 am
I often think, if I was any good at DIY, it would be good to build a walk-in cage, along the lines of a fruit cage, for brassicas, covered in butterfly-proof netting, but one that could be easily taken down and reconstructed elsewhere to allow for crop rotation. Personally I’m a bit frightened of DIY though.
October 29th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Having said all that, I’ve just spotted your build-a-ball brassica cage!
October 29th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I like the hot chilli idea, knowing me though, i’d probably get it in my eyes!
Rachael - it worked a treat once it was up and adapted with garden canes, but in my ‘thinking it was getting colder’ stupidity i took it down. Little did i know!