Topic: When do the cabbage whites stop laying?

[supersprout]

I have netted my sprouting ;D broccoli planted last month and it is trying to burst out of the nets. I don't want to take off the nets until the cabbage whites have stopped flying about and laying eggs. Can anyone advise  ::) when the cabbage whites go to ground and it will be safe to take off the nets and let the broccoli waggle in the breeze ::) ??? ;D

[Roy Bham UK]

 :o They do now :o

[Roy Bham UK]

 :o Yee Gods No! :o I meant [size=06pt]you have told them[/size] :o :P ;D

[tim]

Same problem, Roy - except that I've got plenty of slack in the fleece. If I don't see a c/w for one sunny day, I'll reckon that they've gone home!

[Mubgrub]

I'd consider leaving the netting on, pidgeons can destroy sprouting broccoli, especially in the winter when there's not much else about.

[Svea]

i have taking all nets off as the stuff grew too large. might protect some of my greens when there is not much about later in the season - cheers for that thought.

i was lucky with the cabbage white butterflies - they didnt like to lay eggs close to dill (euch, that stinks!) so ended up laying on my nasturtiums, which was fine by me. even easier to spot the larvae on the smooth round leaves of a nasturtium than on the jagged leaves of brassicas.

now, what i want to know is when do the whitefly die????!!!!!

[supersprout]

Well, my broccoli declared UDI anyways ... when I revisited the plot today they had yanked up the holding pegs around the edges of the net and were muscling happily away towards the moon ... I rewarded them with loads of mulch, and have kept the net over the top to foil the pigeons. Thank you! ;D ::)

[Mrs Ava]

Christmas Eve 2004, the family went to the plot to collect veggies for Christmas dinner.  The lovely cavalo nero black kale had all been munched by yet another crop of catterpillars!  I have had catterpillars on my allotment for 12 months solid now!  I don't think they ever stop laying!

[Robert_Brenchley]

That's global warming for you.

[telboy]

Svea,
I reckon you will have whitefly all winter. Very difficult to eradicate.
They don't seem to harm plants much, if that's any consolation.

[Icyberjunkie]

Derris powder and liquid is great for caterpillars.  Well I mean bad for caterpillars...ermm you know what I mean I'm sure!   One spray or dust and lots of little corpses next morning.  All organic and safe to eat after 24 hours!  ;D

...the produce that is not the corpses.  though they'd probably be fine too....!

[supersprout]

I used derris for a tickle of flea beetle on my beans - once - and it worked a treat! So I keep a puffer pot handy ... ;D