Brussel sprouts eaten

[mandyballantyne]

Hi,

I have been lovingly looking after my sprouts, but something has eaten all the leaves overnight!

The plants have not wilted, should I leave them in and cover them and hope for the best or are they done for!

Thanks, Mandy

[dwrudd]

Hey Mandy,

Sorry to hear that you have had hungry visitors, it sounds like it could be one of many things, slugs, birds, caterpillars, deer????

I would leave them in and see if they try again. But before you cover them try watering them with a rhubard wash. ( Rhubarb leaves left in water for a few days) this can stop some caterpillars etc in their tracks.

But remember that the great thing about gardening is that whatever happens this season, you can always try again next year!
Darren

[mandyballantyne]

Caterpillers! They slugs don't seem to bother with them. I will try the rubbarb and wait and see.

Thanks, Mandy

[Waffler]

Out of interest, apart from being leafless, what do your brussels look like at the moment. I have grown BS, but don't think they look at all right: they look to me like red cabbages on long stalks that haven't hearted up yet. I think something has gone wrong along the way and want to know whether I should just dig them up and be done with it (until next year of course Darren!)

[mandyballantyne]

Hi,

Don't look much like anything just yet, I was late planting anad got some seedlings from a company. They have very tiny what might be 'buds' forming but the plant themselves are only about 10" tall.

I will take a picture of what's left if you want so you can compare?

Just let me know, Mandy

[dwrudd]

My own sprouts are about the same stage as yours by the soun of it, but my fathers only a few miles away and got a head start in the greenhouse and so his are more advanced. They do appreciate a long season but all is far from lost. Keep with them and you may be surprised.

I only got my greenhouse in july and so next years will have a great start, then again, next years everything will have a better start.

Darren

[pisces]

Hello, this is my first message here so be nice to me if I've got it all wrong.
I decided to grow some purple brussell sprouts and was full of anticipation but mine sound like yours. I thought I'd dig them up but have decided to leave them and see what will happen. They do seem to have some little bud things down the stem - could be sprouts, could be anything really!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi pisces and welcome to the Vine!

Sorry, can't really help you with your question - but there are plenty of Grapes who can!

I pulled mine up some weeks ago in temper, after the cabbage white butterfly got to all my brassicas! so much so, after, em, around a couple of minutes thought - have decided not to grow them next year! having said that - it's just me! Don't let me put you off!

Please feel free to ask anything you want to know. There is a wealth of advice, tips and hints here in the "mad house"! DDL

[mandyballantyne]

Hi Pisces,

Welcome to the vine, everyone here are really friendly and very helpful.
This is my first year too and I don't know what I would have done without every ones advice.

I have asked some really silly questions and not one snigger, just loads of help. Don't be affraid to ask!

I will keep you posted on my sprouts and would be intrested to hear how yours are doing too.

Mandy

[dwrudd]

Hi there Pisces,

Welcome to the vine, First things first to mandy, sorry chuck but there is no such thing as a daft question on here! It would be so easy to ruin a lot of hard work but I have found that so many on here like to help and share thoughts and tips. So if you are not sure, ask, I do.

As far as brussells and all sorts of brassica's go, I was chatting to an ol'timer earlier this year and he advised me that although the rhubarb leaves are poisonous to us if eaten, if you leave them in a covered bucket or barrell of water and sprinkle over your plants every couple of weeks, the flutterbys leave them alone. So this year I tried it. with a section left alone as a test bed.
Blow me if it didn't go and work. He also said that it was the main reason that you always saw rhubarb on the old allotments, keep the wife sweet and the cabbage safe. His words not mine!

Darren.