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Brussel sprouts eaten to shreds!

• Message 1. 

  Posted by tina48 (U1814313) on Monday, 19th September 2011

  Hi
  I have some brussel sprout plants which have been eaten by caterpillars to within an inch of their life! The damage only seems to be on the leaves though - will the actual sprouts be affected to? I don't want to use any pesticides if at all possible.
  Thanks x

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by BaraGwenith (U14257539) on Monday, 19th September 2011

  They will all disappear as it gets cooler and the first frost will put paid to them.

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Engineer (U3135859) on Tuesday, 20th September 2011

  Almost certainly the caterpillars of the Cabbage White butterfly. They may start on some of the sprouts, but only when they've eaten all of the tops!
  All you can do now is pick the caterpillars off and dispose (I throw them on the shed roof for the birds), but you could try growing under butterfly-proof netting next year (this has holes less than 1cm - any bigger and they WILL squeeze through!)
  With fewer of the main leaves left, your crop will be lower than that from an unaffected plant.
  Cheers -- Bob

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by spider (U14515022) on Wednesday, 26th October 2011

  Some my brussels were severly munched, not your usual pest, it was a cow that had got into the garden as the farmers electric fence had failed, luckily I saw the cow from the window & went out to chase it out of the garden.

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by myplot (U6600643) on Saturday, 19th November 2011

  Almost certainly the caterpillars of the Cabbage White butterfly. They may start on some of the sprouts, but only when they've eaten all of the tops!
  All you can do now is pick the caterpillars off and dispose (I throw them on the shed roof for the birds), but you could try growing under butterfly-proof netting next year (this has holes less than 1cm - any bigger and they WILL squeeze through!)
  With fewer of the main leaves left, your crop will be lower than that from an unaffected plant.
  Cheers -- Bob  Hi I noticed that your message was dated September. I had a shock today 19/11 ./11 on going to the plot to find catterpillars all over my sprouts. I've always kept them netted but a determined cabbage buttterfly will get in what ever I try. The one thing I can guarantee that I never get rid of is white fly. Luckily the catterpillars were easy to find and were quickly moved on.

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