Topic: bugger those caterpillars

[tim]

Jesse & Icy -

Why caterpillars? Because I was careless.

Early August, there was hardly a cabbage white to be seen. So I took the fleece off to do a good hoeing. Because there are 2 bits 60’X10’, I decided to wait for help. There’s always a breeze when you are trying to spread the stuff. But I never got around to it.

Stupid! They came, they saw, they stayed. So I started the usual egg squashing routine. But there were up to 5 clusters per leaf. And increasing  beyond the stamina of my back. Tried to order bacillus & found that it was discontinued.

So then went into brushing off caterpillar mode. But even though I seemed to have cleared the lot each day, it was a losing battle. It took less than 10 days to go from fully clothed – as below – to naked.

[Garden Manager]

I have become plagued with them this summer. Seems to be far more of the adult cabbage white butterflies around than any other butterfly species.

A while back I kept on the lookout for eggs on the cabbages and squashed a fair few, but it has done no good. The caterpillars have demolished whats left of my summer cabbages and have now started on the recently planted winter ones. They have even had a good go on my Rocket leaves (and completely spoiled one crop), plus a few have tried radish foliage as well!

I find squashing them too messy, and i wont spray with chemicals, so have resorted to knocking o them of by hand or with water. Dont know if this is enough though. Any alternatives?

[MikeB]

Hi Guys

I've still got my winter cabbages in the seed tray in the greenhouse, when do you think it will be safe to transplant outside?

MikeB

[Robert_Brenchley]

If you're dumping them in the water butt, keep it covered. Otherwise all that organic matter going into it is liable to lead to an algal bloom, which will be followed by a plague of midges. I had one myself a couple of summers ago.

[djc1allottment]

My Brussels have been decimated by the wriggly vermin - I have squashed them, flicked them, hosed them and finally dusted them with Deris dust.  They now seem to have given up and gone elsewhere.  Its too late for my sprouting broccoli though - had to send it to the great compost heap in the sky!

[redimp]

Quick note - my Romanescu is starting to Romanescu

[ellkebe]

Got a really good cop off my romanesco at the weekend - enough for the weekend roast, and to accompany two meals this week. Hopefully more to come.  Well worth the wait - will be planting again next year, if I can sort out my rotation and space!

[TEL]

Hi ellkebe
Hope the crop you picked was romanesco & not caterpillars. ;D