Newbie - Veg Plot Life Span

[Aunty Social]

D

Snoop Puss, sparrow100 and Cadalot,

Actually, I *adore* sprouts, have them all year round: could eat them for pudding.

BUT.

It's not only the high winds on our short mountain - all the plants were staked, but lost several leaves - but the caterpillars! Eugh! It's all I can do to face the slugs & snails (I'm very squeamish & have been using plastic gloves to squish the sprout-monsters).

I've also tried growing cabbage (January King) without success.

Cadalot: can't wait to read your Man V. Slug blog. We've invented a new game: Snail Cricket. My husband bowls them into the farmer's field. Score at present: 21 not out.

Again, I am looking forward to being a part of this great community. Thanks, everybody, for such a warm welcome.

[Aunty Social]

D

I forgot Snadger! Thank you!

Oh, and the slugs and snails around here are so *dumb*, they come out in the daytime! Brilliant for me as I'm usually asleep by 10pm. It's all this country air....

xoxox

[Snoop Puss]

Guess you'll have already looked for information on dealing with caterpillars, but just in case:

How to Keep Caterpillars Out of the Garden: 9 Steps

I must admit, the site of hundreds of fat cabbage white caterpillars on my cabbages and broccoli is a bit stomach-churning. When they're absolutely tiny, I squish them in my fingers. But by the time they get a bit bigger and gorged, I pick them or knock them off and then stand on them. Still gross, but at least I get to eat my greens. Lots of people cover up their brassicas to stop the butterflies being able to lay eggs.

None of the brassica family like windy conditions. Tall plants can be staked, but even smaller cabbages will suffer from wind rock and their tiny roots will break. Do you have an less exposed spots?

[Aunty Social]

Dads

Dedicating your veg plot to your Dads is such a nice idea. I'm sure they'd be delighted by it.

My husband's dad wanted to grow veg but never could; my dad grew beans, tomatoes, all sorts, but the beans were on a plot miles from any water source, so we used to load up the truck with huge jugs of water to do the watering every Friday night. This was in upstate NY. Both of them liked being in the garden, which usually involved lots and lots of muffled swearing

I wish we really could all get together and exchange stories. I'm aspiring to the Nutters Club, if they'll have me.

Have a, as my mate likes to say, Superfine Day
xxxooo

[Snoop Puss]

With a name like yours, I'm sure you'd be admitted. Veggiechicken is nutter-in-chief. I'm sure she'll be along to invite you. Otherwise... you could of course just join. I can't vouch for the response mind. VC wields a pointy stick, which some have uncharitably remarked that she flies around on. I personally have never seen that.

[Baldy]

Welcome along - what's your 'vague' location?

https://youtu.be/Hx_m7Y9nGtU

[Aunty Social]

Our Patch

With a name like yours, I'm sure you'd be admitted. Veggiechicken is nutter-in-chief. I'm sure she'll be along to invite you. Otherwise... you could of course just join. I can't vouch for the response mind. VC wields a pointy stick, which some have uncharitably remarked that she flies around on. I personally have never seen that.

Ha ha - Snoop Puss, you sound a transplanted British (English? Welsh? Scots? No.I.?) person & Spain must have its own special challenges.

Thank you/mucho gracias for info on caterpillars & nutter club. Just some pics - the only shelter we have really is an eight foot hedgerow, but it doesn't stop the window whistling round the side of the bungalow at 50mph.

Oh, and because of some inconsiderates undoing the farmer's gate, as well as the usual pests - slimeballs, foxes, pigeons, badgers, etc. - from time to time we get a pitch invasion from cows. If caught in time we can stand on the lawn with a stick and repel them - it's all go here!

[Aunty Social]

Location

Welcome along - what's your 'vague' location?

https://youtu.be/Hx_m7Y9nGtU

I love your signature, Baldy - all it needs is a bowler hat....

We are on top of a Welsh mountain. A very short one, near sunny Prestatyn

[Aunty Social]

Ps

PS The forsythia and the hydrangea on our front lawn are 40 years old; we've only been here 10 months in July.

[veggiechicken]

Wow, Aunty I hadn't realised you were in sunny North Wales. Croeso i'r Vine
I'm on the side of a Welsh mountain too and its always sunshiny here
You seem to be have exactly the right credentials to join the illustrious Nutters Club - you must be as you've already joined Welcome to the Funny Farm!
Hope to see a lot more of you when Doctor does his rounds!

[Small pumpkin]

near sunny Prestatyn

Well that explains everything! definitely nutter material
Welcome to the vine.
I used to live in sunny Rhyl! ( I will never set foot in the place again )

You're very lucky joining the nutters club. My membership seems to have been lost in the post. Probably because I'm the only normal one here

[Cadalot]

SP Define NORMAL ?

AS what on earth is the large thing on the left of your location and is that a WWII gun station on the right?

Not mentioning the big aerial in the middle of those two, do you wear a tin foil hat and if not do you think you should?

[Baldy]

I hear its very sunny in Wales - I must have just been unlucky over the past 30 odd years

[veggiechicken]

That's because you live in Devon - you can't expect Welsh sunshine over by there.

[Cadalot]

Balders my daughter is coming down your way for a holiday next week, she always brings sunshine wherever she goes on holiday, it's most annoying! So you should get some good weather next week mate. Any highlights she should visit whilst she is down there or places to avoid?