Ravaged brassicas - dump or save at this stage?

[Noosner]

I've not protected my brassicas this year and they are in a sorry state, stunted with damaged leaves, none more than a foot tall and most less than that.

My question is: is it worth soldiering on with them or would you pull them all up and just get on with preparing the bed for next year?

I thought of throwing out the really bad ones and spacing the ones that have some good leaves left as maybe the worst is past with slugs/cabbage whites/beetles/pigeons - at least they don't seem so active now. But will there be enough growth at this late stage of the year to justify doing that?

I have lost the handle on what they are, as I replanted so many times: I think cabbages, PSB, kale and sprouts and maybe some swedes. It's hard to tell by looking at them as they haven't developed much.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I'd keep them, Noosner - in my experience, brassicas have an amazing ability to re-grow. Make sure that they are covered with netting, and maybe give them a feed.

You've not got a lot to lose if the bed that they are in is going to just be dug over and left empty all winter anyway.

[Noosner]

Thanks Hazel, that's really encouraging.

[arpoet]

Yep, you have nowt to lose by keeping em. Its goona be nice weather for a week or two, so as long as they are netted and kept fed and watered they have a good chance of recovery.

[Penellype]

From my experience you should get something from PSB. One year I had 2 plants which were completely skeletonized by caterpillars. I only didn't pull them out because the weather was poor and I had other things to do. They still managed to produce a small crop of spears the following spring. Cabbages will regrow baby cabbages on cut stalks, so you could get something from those too. I have no experience of kale or sprouts.

[Noosner]

Thanks, arpoet and Penellype. I guess that is what I was hoping you'd say but thought I might be being too optimistic

[greenishfing]

Definitely leave them. They'll regrow. Mine have recovered from horrific attacks in past years, particularly kale and PSB. The three quarters dead "Maystar" cauliflower, a few years ago, ended up giving me 3 football sized heads.

[skeggijon]

My calabrese and cabbages have been hit hard this year, but even thought the leaves were virtually wipedout I've still been able to harvest some calabrese - and managed to find a cabbage with an untouched heart.

[Bex]

Save save save, every time


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[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Yep! Has "Hazel" n most others have said! They have an ability to get through!

[Noosner]

Music to my ears and fab that everyone is in agreement! Many thanks, one and all, much apprec. Will be off to IKEA on Saturday to buy some net curtains to cover them. Better late than never.

[chris]

You won't get any sprouts now, but you can of course eat the leaves and the top crown if it grow back in time




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[Noosner]

Ooh, can you? Didn't know that. Thanks Chris.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Noos! These were proper ravaged a few weeks back!

But today making a steady comeback!



I don't take myself that serious! I grow for enjoyment n fun! If I get I get! If not, better luck next year!

Just showing ya things can come good!

[Noosner]

Thanks for taking the trouble to post those pics, Deano. Your brassicas look much more perky now (Ooh missus)!!