Disaster in the brassica bed

[Shirley Sherriffs]

Has anyone else has a disaster with their brassicas. Mine were looking just fantastic a couple of weeks ago, I was sooooo delighted with them. 2 kins of green cabbages, sprouting broccoli, red cabbage etc. Came in one morning and it looked like someone has been at them with a gattling gun. They are all just covered with small holes. no chewing like you get with catterpillars. I whipped the netted cage off and had a look but there wasnt a single pillar around. What on earth does the huge amount of damage in such a short time. I'm not the only one on the lottie to have suffered this damage. I have an elderly (80 yr old) chap next door and he has never seen anything like it before. ANy ideas ??

Shirley

[Madasafish]

Slugs or snails.
Happens all the time here: next door is a 30 acre marshy field with an estimated 25 zillion slugs and snails.

Slug pellets at the base..

[Maximillian]

I have the same thing. Lots of tiny holes but no caterpillars. They would munch the whole leaf I thought not leave it lacy.

[squashman]

Flea beetles? They like brassicas, particularly turnips as I have found to my cost. Although to be honest although it looks bad, provided the plants are established you would be amazed at how much leaf damage a plant can take without much effect.

Cabbage leaves full of holes isn't too pleasant though

[ann-the-nan]

Disaster in the brassica bed.

Same here. Never seen it before. True - no catties or anything. I did a ground cover of slug pellets and harvested only one snail. Friend says to-day she thinks it may be tiny insects that live in the soil and the heat has done it's worst. I have the finest eviromesh so nothing but nothing can get in. To-night I shall pull up a corner and blast the inside with an insect spray. S.d the organic gardenning. Will try and remember to let you know what happened.

[Shirley Sherriffs]

Well there is a cage covered in small mesh over them to atop the cabbage whites,and it seems to have worked. Yr the second person I hear using theis enviromesh ? tell me about it. Does it work, I understand its pretty pricy,

[Two_Sheds]

If the plants are young, it's probably flea beetle, esp. in dry weather. The plants will look like they've been hit with a shotgun.

[ann-the-nan]

Disaster in the brassica bed.

This is my first year with enviromesh. I've watched pigeons walk round it all puzzled-like, and cab. whites skid across the top trying to land. Yes, it can be pricey but if you look after it, they say, it should last for years. I bought directly from the company 'cos they do second hand and I got quite a small(ish) piece as I only have tiny raised beds. The staff there are really helpful, too.

[Wren]

vast amounts of these foreign ladybirds caused lots of holes in mine.

[Jimmy]

Mine were trashed by hail.
It was that strong it bent/broke the leaves down.
Holes as well.
Courgettes Cucumbers Squash Pepper all riddled.

[selfraising]

I'm putting my holey brassicas down to slugs and snails. It seems that tho the cabbage whites can't get them, the slugs still will!