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pests

my sprouts and sweeds have no leaves left just stalks can'nt see any creatchers on themfound one ore two catterpillers on the sprouts but nothing on the sweeds . the sweeds look like a road map without the fields painted in please help if you can  but i think it may be a bit late 

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  • MuddyForkMuddyFork Posts: 435

    Sounds like you have been hit by Cabbage White butterfly caterpillars.  Swedes are part of the same family as sprouts so these caterpillars would go for both.  The swedes may grow some new leaves so leave them in the ground for a while longer but check regularly for the dreaded caterpillers.

  • JB3JB3 Posts: 11

    i can not see any catterpillers but there are plenty of butterflies white ,brown red so you are probibly right i will check mor carefully  thanks

  • Same here.  I've just spent ages trying to find them, will the sprouts survive and when do the caterpillars die off?

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138

    Take the caterpillars off and feed them to the birds.  Give the sprout plants a bit of tlc and inspect the underside of their leaves every day for butterfly eggs (tiny yellowish dots) and remove them, or net them against butterflies. 

    If the growing point of the plant hasn't been eaten it  will recover with some tlc. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Thank you very much for your advice.  Will check every day and net.  Much appreciated.

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