Small black beetles on the Brassicas

[RobPro]

First year growing veg. We built 4 raised beds ~75cm high and filled with mushroom mix in March and in one, we have a few cabbage, sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower.

The cabbage and sprouts established well and had no issues and the broccoli did as well when that was added. However apart from two broccoli dying due to ants appearing to nest underneath them, the leaves on the brassicas, and the radishes (we have quickly planted between a row) - are starting to get lots of holes in and I am seeing little black beetles on the leaves.

What are these and how do I kill them without individually squashing them? don't want to use pesticides or anything.

Thanks
Rob

[bario1]

Sounds like flea beetle, they shouldn't affect your plants' overall health, I just leave them to it.

[RobPro]

Sounds like flea beetle, they shouldn't affect your plants' overall health, I just leave them to it.

Even if they have started to go through the cabbages themselves?! We don't have many cabbages because we don't eat many but also because they need a lot of space to themselves, so don't want them being eaten before we can!

[bario1]

The first few leaves might look tatty, but they should outgrow the damage when they get going - it's caterpillars you really need to keep an eye out for!

[Jungle Jane]

Flea beetles favourite food is radish,it’s used as a trap crop sometimes. The broccoli,cabbage & sprouts wouldn’t be the flea beetle,bario’s right look out for the tiny caterpillars of the cabbage white & moth larvae they leave holes & there could be a tiny slug hiding in the cabbage,you could try a beer trap to see if there’s a slug? Flea beetle holes are neater looking than caterpillars & slugs.

[Snoop Puss]

There are some suggestions on page five of this thread:
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...vations-5.html