Topic: the curse of purple sprouting broccoli...

[RobinOfTheHood]

My PSB looked liked Tim's a month ago. Totally destroyed, I thought, by Cabbage Whites.

Nothing to lose, I thought, and left them to their own devices.
You'd never know, now that the caterpillars have gone.

They've recovered miraculously, and now I can't wait until January.
Broccoli is the most eaten veg by far in our house, but we very rarely get to eat the 'real stuff'.

[tim]

Maybe I was stupid to dig mine out, but couldn't stand the sight!

[return of the mac]

At first i used alot of slug pellets and cds to deter the pests, but once they got big enough they were fine, just a few little munches

[salix]

hellooo,

This year it has been really tough with slugs and caterpillars.  However, a mix of bottle cloches, ale traps, picking by hand (yuk!), and having a wildlife pond on my allotment has managed to give me some really lovely plants.  Slug pellets aren't something I would ever use because they are so devastating to pond, hedgehog and bird life.

Last year my plants got stripped by a mix of pigeons, slugs and an army of weevils.  I thought all was lost and they looked dreadful, but after netting them, hand picking slugs and just pretending the weevils weren't there,  I had an amazing harvest over a really long period. 

I've now decided that a bit of sharing, without letting things get out of control, is actually ok!

hen

[undercarriage plan]

Mine were completely annihalated by the ***** pigeons before I could net them, not a leaf left!! I've since netted them , and they've bounced back really well. Lots of new growth and am feeling vaguely hopeful!
Lottie  ;D

[flowerlady]

WHEN do you think the infestation started?  I hesitate to say this but mine PSB is looking terrific.

The reason for this I feel sure is that when I planted them, each on went under a plastic milk bottle for quite some time. 

The cabbage white etc simply had to go else where to lay eggs. 

Yesterday they was a cloud of aphids around but there does not seem to be much damage - ......... yet!