Cabbage - Red Mars variety

micxsa

Growing for the first time from plugs and seems to be ok at the moment apart from odd patches of whitefly. We have removed netting recently to allow access to courgettes and carrots but whitefly was present before removal. We don't use chemicals so have tried to 'gently' blast them off using hosepipe but not a complete success. Any benefit to cutting off large outer leaves to save energy for more growth nearer the centre?

Dovefromabove

Leaves create energy via photosynthesis ... leave them on to do their work!

scroggin

If you've removed the netting permanently you'll need to be vigilant for caterpillars, the Cabbage white butterflies are very active at the moment.

micxsa

With hindsight should we have left netting on until harvest?

Dovefromabove

I would have. 

If I’m growing brassicas without netting I check the backs of the leaves for eggs every day .., miss a day and they’re chomping away 🐛 🐛 🐛 

scroggin

micxsa said:

With hindsight should we have left netting on until harvest?

I would have, also the netting needs to be fine mesh and kept clear off the leaves. A lot of ' protection ' netting is only suitable for keeping pigeons off.
I use debris netting as it's robust and when bought in a roll it's relatively inexpensive.

micxsa

Spooky, we had a white butterfly hovering around for ages just after your message so we have adapted the framework and reattached our fine mesh netting back over the cabbages, it may be too late but now we know, thank you very much

micxsa

Thanks both