My brassica bed (half a bed really) has been a disaster this year! Almost everything I have planted out this year has been munched by what I assume is a combination of birds and slugs. No doubt the situation is not helped by the fact that I wasn't able to prepare the ground properly, and it is very roughly dug, covered by weed-control fabric, and still infested with bindweed!
I am hoping someone will have some suggestions on how to salvage the situation a bit and get some kind of produce from the bed this year, or in the spring.
I have in the way of seeds - Tundra, greyhound, and January King cabbage, wellington and red bull sprouts, early purple sprouting, and late june cauli. Also still have a couple of the cauli seedlings at home, just planted a couple of those on the weekend.
I'm not opposed to buying some spring cabbage seeds if someone could reccommend a good variety that I could harvest as spring greens during the winter.
I could also use some of the space from where I had early spuds as the soil there is better.
The bed is currently covered with fleece, and I am using slug pellets to keep the slugs at bay.
I have also done a trial direct sowing of wellington and early purple sprouting this weekend, in the hope that the plants might grow quickly over the summer, and catch up, or at least produce something!
Any suggestions for me?
Cheers!
Sorry, I am not much help. Our brasicas went into our spud bed of last year and they are doing ok(ish). Covered in white fly and harassed by pigeons but ok-ish. Can't even recommend what to put in really as I am running out of space and net to do more. Sorry.
Cheers Baggy.
I am determined to get some kind of brassica harvest this year >:( Oh well, radished are brassicas aren't they - I suppose that counts! ::)
Did some internet research after posting yesterday and thinking of going for the spring cabbage option even more. Also went mad with the slug pellets again yesterday after the recent rain.
Still open to suggestion though for any brassicas I could sow now and get some kind of harvest from.
along with the radishes - try rocket (rucola)? yum salad ingredient.
also, kohlrabi. you can still sow now (have just done successional sowing) and they are super tasty. am converting the guys at my plot to the delights of kohlrabi - none have been brave enough so far to try it. shall have to gorw lots more next year. quite untroubled plant - just net against pidgeons. :)
You could try planting some late brassica varieties under fine nets. Then pigeons and butterflies will not get to them, but you will still have to watch out for cabbage aphids and slugs.
There is still plenty of time to plant seedlings/plug plants.
Thanks for the suggestions Svea, I think I have some rocket somewhere.
WSL yes, have been looking for late stuff to sow, and I will have a look at the garden centre for some plants.
Discovered that my tundra cabbage is okay to sow until July, so sowed a couple of seeds last night - also sowed some january king, some red bull sprouts, and some greyhound cabbage all to see how they go, and will keep my eye out for some spring cabbage - quite determined to end up with cabbages!!
Sounds like the same problem as me Moggle. Summer cabbage were looking great until aphids attacked, also quite a lot of slugs around despite the dry spell!!
I've now decided to go for Winter/spring types and hope that the pest problem is lesser in the cooler weather. I've sown more Greyhound, April and a few other spring types. Let me know how yours go??