Grow Your Own Magazine

i've dealt with the slugs but now i've got bloody catterpillers, i read that i should wash the plants with soapy water, so i just got the washing up liquid out. has this worked for anyone or are there any tips you can give me?

hope to hear from you soon

__________________
Happy Gardening!

Net the plants when you plant them out and don't ever remove it until harvest time. Use a fine mesh too. For now, pick of caterpillars by hand or spray them.

__________________
Mark

Vegetable Kingdom blog

Been spraying mine with Garlic Fire spray (basically garlic, chilli, washing up liquid and oil - instructions on another thread). Have to do it almost daily as each new batch of eggs that have been missed when squishing hatches out. Also I've been picking off any big ones I find and chucking them in a bowl of water to take home for the chooks. Not sure if I'm winning but definitely fighting the battle. I didn't know about netting the plants when they first went out but I know now for next year!!!

__________________
Always look on the bright side of life
View my blog - http://chooksandveggies.blogspot.com/ updated November 1st 2008

Netting will keep some butterflies out, but not all of them. Remember to lift the net to check for caterpillars - you'll need to do it for weeding anyway

__________________
~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

I bought new netting this year, but it hasn't been totally successful, guess the holes are too big and the little.....darlings are managing to get in. It's become something of a Cabbage White sanctuary, they've been having a real party on the brassicas. There's also something else getting in there because there are other types of caterpillars in there aswell - briefly

Be warned if you get the Garlic Fire spray on your hands when you try and unblock the spray nozzle, even if you do two loads of washing up afterwards, don't rub your eyes - it HURTS!!!!

__________________
I am Nobody
Nobody's perfect
Therefore, I must be perfect

You could put some thyme herbs by the vegetables its worked for me so far "touch wood" while I wait for netting to come.

I had a plague of caterpillers on all of mine so I stripped the leaves off hoping I might get a regrowth . I want to plant my spring cabbages in the same bed (short of space ) Should I do this or leave the bed empty & hope the frosts kills any left over eggs&catterpillers and go without spring cabbs

When is the latest that the cabbage white lays eggs? I was wondering if I could take my netting off now - by PSB is getting squashed!

__________________
~
Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.
~ Mary Kay Ash

also be careful when going for a wee, especially if you are a boy .... cos apparently that does too *giggles lots, and goes to sit in the norty corner*

__________________
http://teachy.myminicity.com please visit my town and make it better

http://quiz.ravenblack.net/blood.pl?biter=teach_me please sign up to be a vampire, i get 10 pints of blood if you do, and it's fun as well ....... i have an interactive map if anyone wants it.

Four different types?
Cabbage Moth
Cabbage Looper
Small Cabbage White
Large Cabbage White

there should be more photos in this older thread: Cabbage White - on my radishes

__________________
~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

I was wondering the same thing - I thought I might try a few spring cabbages but the whole cabbage white/caterpillar-partying culture has discouraged me.

Certainly I'll take up the hint about the netting and I'd love if someone could let us know about the latest time for cabbage-white-egg-laying.

__________________
My hopes are not always realized but I always hope (Ovid)

Nicos looked this site up on an earlier thread: Cabbage caterpillar and moth pest control

The damage occurs April-October .

The life cycle is as follows. The adult butterflies/moths appear in mid-spring and lay yellow eggs on the leaves of cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale and kohlrabi.
They hatch in around 5 days depending on weather conditions.
Initially the tiny caterpillars feed on the outer leaves, but as they mature, they tend to go for the heart leaves, making a horrible mess with their poo (frass) and turning the plant to lace.
They reach about 1 inch in length after a couple of weeks. Around this stage they pupate into a chrysalis and it is from these chrysalis that more butterflies and moths will emerge. The final generation of each year over-winters as a chrysalis.

I am destroying all eggs, caterpillars and chrysalises (?) as I find them. The only good cabbage white is a dead cabbage white

__________________
~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

If you take the netting off, the pigeons will eat your crops.

__________________
~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

That's what the chicken-wire is for

__________________
Small Plot? No Problem! - my blog about growing organic veg

The best thing for keeping the butterflies out is Enviromesh/insect mesh - the holes are way too small to let them lay through, you just have to make sure it's secured all the way round. It is a bit pricey, but I've had some for 3 seasons and it's still going strong. Alternatively, try net curtains? The sort which are mostly smooth, not the 'lacy' type. You can sometimes pick them up on freecycle or in charity shop, and sew them together to make a bigger length, or a cage/cloche cover.

__________________
Sarah

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

No pigeons up here thank God!

But October ....................................

__________________
~
Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.
~ Mary Kay Ash

May I add a couple of points?
To my mind, although fine Enviromesh is proof against Flea Beetle - a big plus point - it is an overkill for C/Ws. It's expensive & hell to handle - like a frog!! And takes up a lot of storage space.

Fleece does both jobs but is delicate & not hugely water permeable & gets very soggy.

Growing in popularity is Debris Netting, which some folk beg off building sites. But some versions have attachment slots in 2 or 3 rows along its length & I'm a little worried that they can allow the C/Ws in. If you feel the same, try to get the slotless version. Or sew up the slots as some do.

And for those whoe plants are outgrowing the protection, next year allow a 3 foot overlap all around so that you can contain even PSB.

I didn't realised there was a slotless version ... I do suspect my butterflies are getting in thru the slots (they don't get out again, at least not in one piece). It's still good stuff though, 73p a metre off eBay.

I also bought 2m width, when I really should have got 3m width. Autumn job - sewing all the holes shut

__________________
~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

If you do a search on eBay for 'Net curtains' and only look at the 'Used' ones rather than new, there are some right bargains - someone selling 11 net curtains, 5½ftx8½ft for a fiver! That'd cover a lot of cabbages
I think the debris netting is ok if you know someone to buy it off locally, but some of the eBay sellers are getting wise and now include 'Garden' in their title, along with a higher price tag!

__________________
Sarah

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

I don't know that I would agree with that. The little b*****s have got through the enviromesh. I used an old net curtain last year and they go through that too.

__________________
~
Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.
~ Mary Kay Ash

on the subject of debris netting,we were lucky enough to be given loads of it,what i did was machine 2 long lengths together,i used some nylon thread i happen to have,and my industrial L/s on it's largest stitch,holding the netting out so,when tis done it will not crack,and the nylon will not rot as a cotton thread would,this is in use stretched out over a metal frame,and is exellent,so for next season i for 1 will be sewing up up all the hole's,safe in knowledge that if i use the nylon thread i will not have wasted my time,the cabbage whites can get in the tiny holes easy by folding up their wings,