Help I'm new to growing

[Growbagclaire]

Hello this is my 1st year growing as I have only just got a garden. I have been growing lots of different things and all is going well except for my cabbage something seems to of eaten it all and I'm only left with the stalks growing and no leaves. How do I stop this happening and what is it that's eating it all. Sorry may be a sill question but I'm learning as I go.

Thanks


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[Penellype]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Your cabbages are probably being eaten by the caterpillars of the cabbage white butterfly. There are 2 sorts - small whites which have green caterpillars, and large whites which have yellow and black caterpillars. Both are very destructive.

Keeping them off your cabbages is quite a task as they are very persistent. The best solution is fine netting or fleece draped over a frame and secured with pegs in the ground so that the butterflies can't get in or lay eggs through it. It is probably too late for you to do this now, but you should protect all of the cabbage family (cabbages, broccoli, kale, kohl-rabi, sprouts etc) as soon as you plant them.

You may also find some of the holes are caused by slugs - these are also destructive pests and won't be kept out by netting. Unfortunately because cabbage leaves are nice to eat there are plenty of types of wildlife that want to eat them.

[rustylady]

Hello Claire, Welcome to the Vine.

I suspect your cabbages have caterpillars on them. Mine are covered in them this year despite netting.

[Growbagclaire]

Thank you for your help I'll have to remember that next year when ill try again with them. I'm a newby at this so its all trial and error at the moment. I did put some slug pellets down but must not of helped :-). I have some spinach growing near by should I put betting over them to or will they be ok.

Thanks everyone


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[Kirk]

Unfortunately cabbages tend to be considered as food by both the cabbage white caterpillars and slugs.

[Vince G]

Welcome Claire. Try and construct some sort of cage or frame with net of a fairly fine gauge attached to it. This will keep the majority of the butterflies from laying their eggs on your plants, although 1 or 2 always find a way in! It's no use just draping net over the plants because the butterflies will sit on the net and lay their eggs onto any leaves that touch the net. You need a bit of clearance between the ultimate height the plants will reach and the roof of your cage.

Might sound a bit of a palaver, but when you're picking all your lovely broccoli and cabbages next year, it will all seem worth it!

[Two_Sheds]

I have some spinach growing near by should I put betting over them

No: the Cabbage White butterflies only attack brassicas (although they're very highly sexed in the hot weather and will even try to lay eggs on weeds. They're laying on my radish seedlings as they germinate, bladdy things)