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Cabbage white butter flys

JAMES CONLONJAMES CONLON Posts: 26
in Problem solving

Help the cabbage white destroyed all my cabbages and sprouts this year I had them all netted but they still got in some advice please THANKS JIM

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Posts

  • FleurisaFleurisa Posts: 779

    Nets with smaller holes and check for any gaps they can squeeze through

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 82,798

    Close inspection and squidging twice a day. 

    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • Outdoor girlOutdoor girl Posts: 286

    After suffering similar results, I fleeced the last unaffected cabbage. Now I am looking forward to a delicious fat cabbage in January!  Fleecing does seem to work.

  • flowering roseflowering rose Posts: 1,632

    imageyou need to check them each day and squash the little blighters before they grow into butterflies, nasty but the only solution bar spraying or eating cabbages with holes.

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    Try growing more than you need, fleece what you want to keep and leave the others open for the grubs to feed on. I've done it for the past 2 years and its worked for me. 

  • Outdoor girlOutdoor girl Posts: 286

    Oooh, I like that idea - a sort of distraction crop. Will do that next year! Maybe I'll have more fat cabbages.

  • Lupin 1Lupin 1 Posts: 8,916

    I don't grow big veg at cabbage white time, usually leeks & winter sprouting brocolli. Salad is in troughs on patio and I have fun with hose pipe if they come near my lettuces.

    Years ago I grew caulis etc...I did net and pick things off but when it came to freezing surplus I soaked in salt, and then blanched, and the number of damn caterpillars that floated to the top of the pan put me off.

    I know extra protein, imagebut I just couldn't face eating them.

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391

    Use netting with holes no larger than 7mm and double check that there are no tears or gaps otherwise the butterflies will squeeze through - I've seen them fly all around my nets 'inspecting' the quality of my workmanship! image

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • penelope birnstinglpenelope birnstingl Posts: 4

    this year my husband told me that cabbage whites were 'endangered' so I did not try to keep them off the brassicas. the result is that cabbage whites are no longer endangered in our area! sorry folks!

  • JAMES CONLONJAMES CONLON Posts: 26

    What use are cabbage whites none that I can see

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