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Post by Chuckles on Aug 26, 2008 13:02:41 GMT
Although I've not really seen many in the garden this year I've had a terrible time with the CW caterpillars also some plain green ones too Despite daily sometimes twice daily squishing sessions they are having a field day eating all my brassicas. I've lost all 5 of my Walking Stick Cabbage they were ok one day and the next just skeleton stems. They've started on the 3 maturest brussels plants I have in the garden and some younger plants too. One of them has brussels ranging from pea size to a small marble size and I'm now wondering if they will continue to grow with very few leaves on them, someone else asked this question too so would be great to get some advice. They've taken a liking to my Kohl Rabi as well, and are attacking my bolted cabbages which I've left for the chickens. Mmmm chickens, in my anger and a slight temper fit I've just spent 30 mins picking every single caterpillar off and taking them up for the chickens to devour. Well all I can say is they must taste horrid coz the chickens didn't eat one. Always wondered why the birds didn't eat them. Last year I netted my young plants and didn't have a problem, well these aren't young plants and are too big to net really. Is anyone else having the same problem, and is there a deterrent other than planting nasturtium close by. Saying that they are eating them too but the brassicas seem to taste better
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Post by Tig on Aug 26, 2008 15:40:09 GMT
Despite a daily squishing session I am still finding huge ones! (I have greenfingers most days - but only from squashed caterpillars, and it stinks, even roped OH in to squish, he hates the smell too!) I have one purple sprouting broc that was a bit hidden, that is just stalks now! Brussels, cabbages, caulies, psb and kohl rabi all have lace leaves! But provided some green remains they have coped in previous years to still produce some veg - just keep getting rid of any that you spot (the green ones are well camouflaged ) The other year there was a suggestion of watering them with some stewed leaf juice, like comfrey, but I can't remember what is was or if it worked x Tig
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Post by carolann on Aug 27, 2008 8:28:08 GMT
Yep all my cabbages and some sprouts are getting munched to death as well, funny but I had not a hole in any leaf till last weekend, also we had not seen may C.Whites around till then. I think that they are now making up for all the poor weather we have had this year. I may have to get the cropsaver out and give them all a good spraying as there are just too many to squish and only 1 of my chickens likes to eat the green ones. As for few leaves on the sprouts I tend to yank them off as the sprouts develop leaving a nice bare stem for easier picking later and it never has harmed my plants in the past.
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Post by Dr Bill on Aug 27, 2008 11:27:03 GMT
They are making a mess of my brocolli despite the row of nasturtiums next to them!
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Post by Dutchy on Aug 27, 2008 17:12:07 GMT
Holes in the cale but now I only see them on the nasturtium on the other side of the fence. I never realized that is what the nasturtium is there for. I thought it just lured away the greenfly. Hey it works, sort of as there are still more holes than cale about. Should I get them and do a nasty squishy job on them? Or am I safe now they have finally found the Nasturtium?
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Post by fozzie on Aug 27, 2008 21:40:26 GMT
Been on CW daily egg patrol for afew weeks now, seems to work. Only minor damage, must have missed a day somewhere. There are two types of CW one is the large and just to make it easy for me, the other is the small CW. In both cases the eggs are laid in clusters and are yellow. While the caterpillars are different, one is small and green the other is sort of brown/grey with some dark and yellow markings. CW Large CW Small
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Post by Chuckles on Sept 5, 2008 9:15:34 GMT
Thanks for those pics Foz I always wondered what the green caterpillar was. They are difficult to see sometimes aren't they especially if they are on the main vein up the centre of the leaf. Well I have only one good brussel plant left now and a few baby ones that may or may not survive.
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Post by Alicat on Sept 5, 2008 22:59:50 GMT
Hi Chuckles - So sorry to hear about your Walking stick Cabbage, I know that you started the thread and were looking forward to the challenge I think it might have been me that asked if the sprouts would survive before I went away I picked off as many eggs as I could but obviously I missed some because when I came back nearly all the leaves were lace like. on my first mission I bagged the caterpillars and put them in the bin - but of course it didn't work. So the other day in between heavy showers I picked them off and drowned them in a bucket of water. - I felt very guilty but I would love to taste some home grown sprouts for 'C' . Think I am on top now and hoping that the few sprouts that I can see developing will continue. Fingers crossed. Those green caterpillars are a sod to find aren't they. Thank you Foz for the pics too.
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Post by fozzie on Sept 7, 2008 14:44:31 GMT
The good thing about Brussels and even Caulis, come to that, is you do not eat the leaves.
So all is not lost!!
PS It is a bit late for the big C they should be down to a simmer by now.
Fxx
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Post by Spruance on Sept 7, 2008 18:45:19 GMT
Funnily enough I have seen quite a lot of Cabbage Whites over this weekend, but as I was late getting my - quite large - cabbage plants in this year I think they will be ok. Even badly affected plants can sometimes recover though.
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Post by Alicat on Sept 12, 2008 20:34:43 GMT
Thanks Foz - Spru i've seen quite a few Cabbage white's flying about in my garden too, but no more eggs have been laid phew - still finding the odd catterpillar though and just incase they are going in the bucket of water.
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Post by Dutchy on Jul 24, 2009 9:18:13 GMT
Well at least I now know I have the big cabbage whites ( thanks for pic Fozz) devastating the broccoli. Looks like I am up for a squish job this afternoon. Providing I can still find my broccoli. Can one drown them? I thought taking a bucket with me and collecting them all before dumping in the ditch will at least safe me from smelly fingers.
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