caterpillars on my greens

[digger01]

This is my second year growing, my first on my new allotment, last year my greens were devestated by caterpillars on my back garden, could anybody offer any advice.

[janeyo]

Cover them with caterpillar proof netting

[Fluorescent green]

This is my second year growing, my first on my new allotment, last year my greens were devestated by caterpillars on my back garden, could anybody offer any advice.

Encourage wildlife. Frogs and birds will eat caterpillars given the chance.

FG

[Flummery]

The caterpillars are usually from the cabbage white butterfly. If you have endless time and patience you can look for the clusters of tiny yellow eggs on the leaves (check underneath too) and scrape them off with your fingernail. Or you can pick the caterpillars off - put them somewhere the wild birds can find them - or take them to someone with chickens! Most people would use something like enviromesh which has holes too small for the butterflies to get through, but will still let in light and water.
Bummer though eh, when you've gone to all that trouble!

[zazen999]

I have got enviromesh on some brocollis, and they are being eaten by something - the cabbages next to them with no protection aren't.

So, the enviromesh is coming off and being used for carrots....and I am resorting to my garlic and chilli spray with a dash of soft soap included. Stinks the house out - so I now do it outdoors and strain overnight out there.....but my lottie neighbour was so impressed with my clean brassicas and his chomped ones, that he has told everyone and they are apparently all using it this year.

Spray at the first sign of caterpillars, knock them off once they start squirming, and take off any yellowing leaves, and squish any eggs that are on healthy leaves. Then be vigilant and spray if it happens again. Wear gloves whilst spraying...

[Flummery]

Could be slugs Zaz - unfortunately the enviromesh creates a lovely damp environment - you win some, you lose some. A bloke told me the other day that his hostas are so fantstic and hole-free becasue he makes a garlic spray and gives them a regular dousing.

[zazen999]

We've got the organic pellets down, and it definitely looks sluggish - we don't get many slugs at the lottie as it is thick clay [esp in that bed as it hasn't had carrots in yet and that's the bed that gets dug and sieved and mixed with compost].

I prefer cabbages anyway! Lovely in home made coleslaw. Our red ones looks absolutely gorgeous, and are not pidgin pecked as they are in between swiss chard and the pidgins can't land and peck them.

[Fluorescent green]

The caterpillars are usually from the cabbage white butterfly. If you have endless time and patience you can look for the clusters of tiny yellow eggs on the leaves (check underneath too) and scrape them off with your fingernail. Or you can pick the caterpillars off - put them somewhere the wild birds can find them

Hi

My sister told me about caterpillars on her gooseberry bush two years in a row.
She was told to put bread at the base of the bush, for the birds.
No caterpillars this year!

FG

[Snadger]

Hi

My sister told me about caterpillars on her gooseberry bush two years in a row.
She was told to put bread at the base of the bush, for the birds.
No caterpillars this year!

FG

That sounds like a good idea.........trouble is we have rats at the allotment which also relish bread!

[Flummery]

Hi

My sister told me about caterpillars on her gooseberry bush two years in a row.
She was told to put bread at the base of the bush, for the birds.
No caterpillars this year!

FG

They are likely to be gooseberry saw-fly caterpillars. I've heard of people putting wild bird food down under the bush for this reason - but it is a rat attractant. You have to balance the problems sometimes!

[digger01]

thanks for the advice, i covered my brassicas when they were small to protect from birds ,but took the nets off has they grew bigger,i was told the birds, wood pigeons i think would not bother them, but something is eating the leaves, ive tied plastic bags on sticks and cds through the crop above them, is their other methods i could use apart from covering. any advice.

[Incy]

I'm taking no chances with mine and have made a nice big net house out of an old trampoline enclosure. Just sewed the top together with gardening wire and placed over a cane support OH made for me. It has the benefit of even having a zip up entrance at one end for easier access