caterpillars

[weezer]

Hello there all you fellow growers!
This season I have been plagued but caterpillars that have had more of there fair share of my veg. Has anyone got any good ideas of stopping them appart from the labourious task of picking them off by hand and that doesn't envolve chemicals???? Big question!

[Jaxom]

I have just discovered a term called "Sacrificial Plants" . It’s when you plant something with your main crop that the pests prefer to eat. I believe that nasturtiums are one of these? when the pests take hold of the Sacrificial plant you cut off the affected portion and distroy it off site.Then there is also a number of plants and herbs that act as police in the vegetable plot, They either confuse or drive away pests before they become a problem. Marigolds, Sage, Rosemary, onions and carrots work in this way.
I wish I knew more about this. I have ordered a book by Bob Honeydew on companion planting from Amazon but it looks as though it may be a few weeks before it arrives. As I only have two magazines under my belt, does any one know if between April and August there was any thing on Companion Planting in GYO?
Jax

[Fee]

This is lifted straight from my freebie copy of 'Organic Kitchen Garden' which came with my recent subscription to GYO - a spray of 'bacillus thuringiensis' is a naturally occurring bacterial disease of caterpillars, but I don't know where you can obtain it unfortunately - perhaps other growers will know? I too have had many cabbages destroyed by the little munchers so will give it a try next time if I can find any!

[weezer]

thanks

cheers for the advice i will now be planning caterpillar warfare for next year using my new insider knowledge of keeping them at bay!!

[Beryl]

I think the only sure way is prevention.
I now cover young plants with fleece early in the year. Then later when the threat of frost has passed change over to a fine netting. This also protects from them the pigeons.
Not entirely 100% but a good 99%.
You will find photos on my web site.
www.saundersallotment.co.uk

Beryl.

[Beryl]

'bacillus thuringiensis' - forgot to mention, the caterpillars have to digest the cabbages etc. that have been sprayed before they will die.

Beryl.

[Lesley Jay]

I net all my cabbages and cauliflowers and don't have any problem with caterpillars. You need to make a frame to hold the net away from the leaves because if the netting is resting on the leaves the butterflies can still lay their eggs.

The first year we were growing vegetables I had some lovely cauliflowers but they were full of green caterpillars - never again !!

[michael01]

hi lesley
top tip with the netting, went on my holls last year for 2 weeks and left my veg gdn in the hands of my dad. when i got back my brasica where striped of the leaves and my sprouts had gone and my toms had died but thats cos he didnt water them,
mike

[Bugeyes]

Not sure if Bacillus thuringiensis is available as a retail product but commercial growers use it very successfully - its commercial name is 'Dipel'.