Brassica trouble

[Veggielot]

Most of mine have been pretty much a disaster this year. First lot eaten by birds, thought i would be okay for one night. Second lot pretty much went to seed. Only my sprouts left and most of those haven't grown stalks.

[wildinthecountry]

It is a real pain having to put up with slugs at this time of year but spending a bit of money on nematodes earlier in the season could have reduced the slug population greatly. It's getting late in the season for using nematodes this time around but it is definitely on my to do list for next year. Costs a few quid but well worth it.

Many thanks for help. I did use slug nematodes early on but they didn't make a scrap of difference. They're quite time consuming, have to water every day for 2wks after use. We have a big garden and I think the slugs come marching across every night to munch away at my veg in the fruit cage.
I also used chafer grub nematodes in August but the little so and so's are still there, hundreds of them. The grubs that is not the nematodes! Don't know what happened to those.

[wildinthecountry]

My kale is also nothing but stalks with a few young leaves at the mo. But it will come through if you give it a follicular feed, like comfrey tea. My sprouts were in the same condition last year and with a few feeds, produced some smallish but delicious buttons for Christmas dinner. The caterpillars will soon die with the frosts, so you won't need to worry about them any more. No advice for the potatoes though, sorry.

Well that sounds more hopeful, thank you. Will leave them in and feed. My earlier Crispus Brussels have nice sprouts on them already tho I guess they'll taste better with a frost on them. But the Trafalgar for Christmas are covered in little black things, probably eggs. I've had them before and don't like the look of them.

[wildinthecountry]

Be vigilant. I know it takes time but search for the nasties and SQUASH them. Very satisfying!!!!! The cabages etc. will put on new growth.

Wish I could bring myself to do that - there must be about 1,000 leaves - 6 rows of 12 brussels & kale, each plant with at least 20 leaves on and each leaf with about 15 caterpillars. Not that I've counted!!

[wildinthecountry]

The cabbage white butterflies caused me a bit of head scratching earlier in the year as I had my brassicas netted yet caterpillars were shredding the foliage. I removed the netting and replaced it with environmesh after picking off the livestock and squashing visible eggs and that sorted the problem but later I had more damage problems with bright green caterpillars which are incredibly difficult to spot.

Anyone any idea what these caterpillars are the larvae of?

I used enviromesh but I think it was touching the leaves in places which meant the butterflies could land on the leaves. Silly me, I'll support it on a frame next time. They got through the weldmesh of the cage plus the netting. Certainly been a bad year for Cabbage Whites.

[Two_Sheds]

The caterpillars will soon die with the frosts

If only. They will soon be looking for vertical places (fence posts, trees, sheds etc) to pupate, they survive the winter and hatch as adults in the spring

I had more damage problems with bright green caterpillars which are incredibly difficult to spot.

That's the Small White. The caterpillars go for the centre of the plant, and eat their way out. By the time you find them they've done a lot of damage. The Large Whites are easier to spot, because they eat the outside of the plant

Certainly been a bad year for Cabbage Whites.

It's been a brilliant year for butterflies, they like it hot & sunny & dry. You have to admire the CW's tenacity really, it's a determined thing, getting to crops even through enviromesh

[Dorothy rouse]

I used enviromesh but I think it was touching the leaves in places which meant the butterflies could land on the leaves. Silly me, I'll support it on a frame next time. They got through the weldmesh of the cage plus the netting. Certainly been a bad year for Cabbage Whites.

Oh I'm such a wimp! I just can't 'squish' anything ! Even with gloves !


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[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Mine have been ravaged too!

But if I get a couple to heart, I'll be more than happy!

Never leave it to someone else to knock ya up a cage!

Lesson this year learn't!

[Penellype]

It is a real pain having to put up with slugs at this time of year but spending a bit of money on nematodes earlier in the season could have reduced the slug population greatly. It's getting late in the season for using nematodes this time around but it is definitely on my to do list for next year. Costs a few quid but well worth the outlay. The cabbage white butterflies caused me a bit of head scratching earlier in the year as I had my brassicas netted yet caterpillars were shredding the foliage. I removed the netting and replaced it with environmesh after picking off the livestock and squashing visible eggs and that sorted the problem but later I had more damage problems with bright green caterpillars which are incredibly difficult to spot.

Anyone any idea what these caterpillars are the larvae of?

Could be Silver Y Moth - I've had loads of these caterpillars this year (and loads of adults on the buddleia). Silver Y - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Penellype]

Cabbages are very resilient, so they are worth leaving if you like spring cabbage. I routinely cut my cabbages and leave the stalks in the soil unless I need the space for something else. Leaves will sprout from the cut stems.

[stella]

Same here Penellype. I tried it for the first time this year and it really works. I cut the cabbage and left the stalk in the ground and now there is another big cabbage, I am sure it is magic