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Hi

Despite netting (i suspect cat disturbing it when we were away has caused this as it was uncovered over a weekend before neightbour spotted it) we have got a massive invasion of caterpillars i have spent the last 2 days picking them off literately hundreds of them!

Is there anything else i can do to keep them off?

Cam

You could try to flush them away with water..there is also chemicals if you feel like using them..
But other than caging your plants ..there is not many options left.
Some say that solution of seasalt and water sprayed on surface of the outer leaves of the plants keeps caterpillars away..haven't tried myself though..yet...

Same has happened to daughters cabbages. She was picking them off the other day. She put them away from the cabbages & wasps started attacking them.

yep had the wasps will try the salt water solution tomorrow evening and see what happens at the moment i am just going to see if the little monsters get out of the recyling bag i have but them in :)

(yes its sealed) i think :)

Just don't make the salt solution too strong..maybe about half to one teaspoon per litre of water..I think you are supposed to imitate the seawater sprays that wild cabbages get on seashore..

Would garlic wash do any good?

I don't have no idea if it works against caterpillars..worth of trying..as long as the whole cabbage is not drenched with the stuff..may put off anybody from eating it.. ;D

Going to make the garlic spray i have been sent 1st and see how we get on although am going to wait till later in the week and put it on as i am not sure the neighbours might appreciate the smell while there all enjoying the sun :)

Youngest granddaughter earned herself 75p yesterday taking them off. She wanted a comic & her pocket money wasn't enough. The little monkey then wanted 5p per bean when she offered to pick them. Mother wasn't having that one though ;D.

Thanks for this thread I had thought that we were over the worse of the caterpillars, I shall have to renew my vigilance.  Actually very few butterflies this year, we seem to have white fly instead, the butterflies do not seem to like them.  Nettle tea is supposed to help if sprayed on but I have not found it effective.

been out today and more are back plus i can see more eggs and touching the cabbages releases a cloud of little white flys :( fingers crossed i can brew up the spray tomorrow :)

well that was a plan however Harriet and i have got rotten colds so were in bed and hubbie is throwing a couple of buckets of soapy warm water on the plants which is helping as the plants are perking up will have to spay with garlic this weekend instead.

I think the cabbages have had it but i am crossing my fingers for my sprouts :)