Every single leaf eaten off every brassica!

[rosielee]

My first post, please be sympathetic.

Planted out my home grown brassica seedlings on the lottie couple of weeks ago. I though they might have bought it in the last frost of last week but they survived, however checking yesterday something has been and stripped them all to the stalk.

They were (sorry) slug pelleted and were netted - but the netting isnt totally closed up as it was netted for the birds rather than butterflies. We are in the process of building a permanent frame to fully net.

My question - If I had slug pellets down and no slime, and no dead slugs, and it was netted well enough to keep the birds off, then must I assume that the cabbage white caterpillars did it? Admit I didnt look under leaves as no leaves left! (and too agast).

I have only see a couple of CW's so sure not enough time for the caterpillers to be there?
What do you think ate them??
Thanks.

[Flummery]

Bit early for cabbage whites (unless someone knows otherwise?) On out site it's pigeons, who can insert their beaks through mesh, the little beggars. If you have draped green plastic mesh over they'll eat where it touches. We make wooden frames and cover with fine mesh chicken wire on our plot. It's the only way to eat your own brassicas!

[rosielee]

Thanks for that. The net isnt touching the plants as it on a gazebo top and poles etc. But a pigeon could have walked in at ground level thought one or two gaps - but I didnt think they would with netting above them??

[Flummery]

Cunning little beggars!

Welcome to the Grapevine, by the way! I see you've been with us a while but you've finally braved the First Post!

[lizzylemon]

Have to say it does sound like pidgeons - They take the leafy area of the leaf and leave behind the main vains and stalks normally.

Also, if you can, have a look at the bits left behind, that can often help and of course, ask your neighbours on the lottie. The ol'boys love being seen as a 'guru'.

[Two_Sheds]

If the leaves have been stripped, leaving the central bare rib of the leaf: it's pigeons. They've started on my chard this weekend after ignoring it all winter: must be raising babies.

Slugs and snails don't always leave a slime trail, especially baby snails which will be hiding in the leaf folds and crevices. If the damage is mainly to the centre of the leaves not the edges, and isn't uniformly eaten, it's likely snails.

[Curlykale]

Would pheasant damage look the same as pigeon damage? Something has eaten my PSB but not touched any of the lettuces etc which makes me thing it couldn't be slugs - but we do have lots of pheasants next to the lottie site.

[Shadylane]

Flum, I saw a cabbage white today and also a couple of days ago on the rhubarb. They're HERE I tell you *looks around nervously*

[Flummery]

Ah, but are they feeling randy yet?

[Shadylane]

Well there was only one on it's own so maybe we still have some time...

[Alison]

I always let my brassicas (and most other things) get to a good size before planting out otherwise I seem to lose them to slugs. Fortunately not too big a pidgeon problem on my site and enough other people leave their stuff uncovered so there's plenty of other food about. Depending on the season of brasica you're going for you should still have plenty of time. I hadn't sowed my PSB and winter cabbage this time last year and still did OK (in fact the PSB is still going mad at the moment) and only sowed this years ones last Saturday.