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Talkback: Cabbage white caterpillars

I found caterpillars crawling across the snow a few weeks back grrrr!

I have tried nets and fleeces and they sitll get through:(
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  • I still have a huge problem with caterpillers. They stripped the sprouts throughout the winter and are still going strong. Whenever you go in the garden, whatever the weather, you cannot fail to find them. I thought they would die out in the cold but although they have slowed down they seem to be stronger than ever. Am I the only person who seems to have hardy caterpillers?!
  • I saw on a TV Gardening Program that you could save the leaves of Rubbard in water making them very smelly. Then watering your cabages,etc with this mixture. Is this safe to do this ? this is surpost to keep the cab fly away!
  • ossoosso Posts: 5
    i am told using nettles as a base for an infusion holds the caterpillors at bay god knows in a use for them i live near seville in spain where nettles grow real big so a use for them would be great garlic was also mentioned my garlic beds are great so any ideas would be useful
  • Over the years I've tried everything to keep the cabbage white off my Brassicas without success. So I've given up with brassicas and concentrate on more rewarding crops like potatoes, broad beans, runner beans, onoins, garlic, peas, sweet corn and leeks. My globe artichokes have been great for 10 years, but did not corp well this year despite vigourous plant growth. I've left them in the same bed without any supplementary food. Any ideas?
  • Peat BPeat B Posts: 441
    The butterfly to drive most gardeners demented, by their sheer determination to fly through the smallest mesh without touching the sides. I admire the blighters, but refuse to be beaten by them. Despite every effort to deny them feeding stations the fly through nettings and machine gun nests without let or hindrance. The best way to get them reduced is to persuade the wife to go and squeeze the eggs on the cabbage leaves !
  • My cauliflowers were nearly decimated by them.  I successfully netted them against the pigeons but was tearing my hair out with the cabbage white.  Think I will just not grow brassicas next year.

  • The SaintThe Saint Posts: 23

    I'm going to try planting tons of nastursiums in the  hope that they'll freely decimate them and leave my brassicas alone.  Otherwise I may have to give up on them also.  Nothing worse than having pests munch your carefully nurtured plants.  I've already lost a few cabbages to slugs image

  • My problem is two fold, White butterfly and Pigeons.  This year I covered all my cabbage etc with securely fixed nylon fleece over a made up frame.  The fleece was a bit expensive but it has been worth every penny.  The frame was made from scraps of wood and rustynails.  The pigeons just gave up in the end and I had a certain amount of pleasure in watching the white butterflies get all frustrated then fly off to somewhere else.  Both fleece and frame will be good for at least a couple of years yet.   Who is very pleased with themselves?imageimageimage   

  • This is the first year I have had any problems with these. They are eating their way through my nasturtiums. There have been a lot of different butterflies this year but mostly the cabbage white. Must be the good weather.
  • They are a pain, they have completely ruined all my brasicas! How would I dispose of all my catterpillar ruined brassicas? Do I uproot it all and burn it?
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