Brussel sprouts ravaged by birds...

[kathsunn]

This is one of my first posts so I hope I'm doing this properly. Yesterday, after going for a month with no netting, birds had a go at our brussel sprouts. I'm not sure what to do. The sprouts are about 2 feet tall and 4 of the plants have lost most of their leaves. Do I pull them and replace with some reserve sprouts I potted in containers (doing very well in pots), or leave the damaged plants in the ground to hopefully recover (netted now)? This is my first veg plot so any advice would be helpful. Thanks!

[indigox]

I'd leave them be.
Brassicas almost always make a good recovery from this kind of damage, my psb got attacked by pigeons, they completely stripped off all the leaves a month ago, and now it is back to full health again, (and securely netted).
Just make sure the netting stays in place and they will soon be growing happily again.

[Two_Sheds]

It'll be Cabbage Whites next (lol, I just did a typo ... put SH instead of WH)

Make sure your net is fine,so butterflies can't get through it

[kathsunn]

Thank you for the advice. I didn't want to dig them all up, if they were going to possibly recover. A couple plants have been stripped of leaves -- they look terrible. Very disappointing.

I knew there were bird problems at the allotments down the road, but our dog seemed to be acting as a good scarecrow. The birds seem to have come one morning before he made it out. Well, I've learned my lesson.

I'll follow your tip and leave them in. And, they are now very securely netted! Thanks!

[kathsunn]

I've put down collars for the flies -- I'm hoping they will work. Also, planted nasturtium as a decoy. I had everything covered with fleece until a month ago (certain family members had a laugh at how it looked a bit like an operating theatre). I'm trying to be less protective of my veg now -- the netting is just bird netting. I hope it will be enough.

[Two_Sheds]

I've put down collars for the flies -- .

cabbage root fly?

I grow radish as a sacrificial crop (not intentionally, mind you)

[Snadger]

It'll be Cabbage Whites next (lol, I just did a typo ... put SH instead of WH)

Make sure your net is fine,so butterflies can't get through it

Probably nearer the mark! Lol

[kathsunn]

Thanks for the advice. Just back from the school run. Strangely enough I have radish growing in with the sprouts. Once they've finished the nasturtiums, maybe they'll go for the radish.

[DaveInBraknell]

Hi,

I had a similar problem with my Cabbages in winter, being a newbie I didn't cover them and they got eaten.

Good thing is they all came back and hearted up well. Bad thing is it might delay the development by a couple of weeks.

So I would stick, they have 6 months growing to do, as long as they aren't dead, eaten etc you'll be fine.l

Even if the look really bad. Take a look at my blog: Allotment 13 you'll see how devastated ours where, this isn't plugging my blog just showing you the pictures.

I'm going to put up some posts at the weekend showing the 2kg hearts we got off them.

Thanks
Dave

[kathsunn]

It's such a relief to hear that others have had the same trouble, and managed to get a good crop in the end. Took a look at your blog -- yes, just like an Alfred Hitchcock film. I'll have a look again once you've posted pics of your harvest! Thanks!