cabbage white butterfly

[John O'Conell]

Last year was my first growing year, which went well apart from my cabbages and cauliflowers,they were invaided and eaten by cabbage whites and their caterpillers. HELP how do i stop them doing the same to my crops this year?

[sewer rat]

Hi John and welcome to the Vine.
The only sure way to stop Cabbage Whites laying their eggs and therefore having their caterpillars chomp your brassicas is to erect some sort of physical barrier that will stop the flutterbies from being able to land on your crop and lay their eggs in the first place.
Not sure how you grow your crops but fine netting draped over garden canes with pots on top of them is one method. You could also erect a fruit cage (call it a brassica cage) or just lay fleece across the crop ensuring that there is nowhere for the flutterby to gain entrance

[JennieAtkinson]

Rat - how do you keep the fleece down in the wind? I use it in the polytunnel but havent worked out a way of anchoring it outside.

[Jaxom]

I have spayed all mine with a mixture of water and washing up liquid, that has had Garlic, Chilli and Black pepper seeped in over night. So far it seems to have done the trick. Cross-fingers.

[Shortie]

And for the bargain you're getting nicely seasoned cabbage and Caulies eh Jax?

Is it whole pepper corn,agarlic and chillie chinks or ground versions of them? (ie if I made it myself am I removing the 'chunks' or do they stay in the solution when it's sprayed?)

[Jaxom]

I put it through a strainer to stop my spray bottle blocking up on the debris.

[Jaxom]

Red Face but just for the fun of it I also gave the mix a twist of the salt mill.
I'm always eating as I garden so it seemed right at the time.

[sewer rat]

Jennie
I just have the fleece placed loosely over the cabbages, cauli's and brocoli and I peg it down with old tent pegs and the occasional rock to help.

[sewer rat]

Came home tonight to discover that Iona had removed the aforementioned fleece to show her pal "her" cabbages. Had a good look and found some eggs - little beggars didn't last long though

[leona]

i found my first cabage white eggs today on my sprouts