Caterpillars on Broccoli

[hippy chick]

Hello All,

I'm very proud of the way in which my purple sprouting Broccoli is growing in my back garden! I've managed to fend off an army of slugs, plant them well and look after them, but to my horror a few holes began appearing in my leaves... I left it thinking that I didn't mind a few holes here and there and was sure it wouldn't hurt... but now I have discovered my Broccoli is infested with Caterpillars!!!!! Holes are appearing all over the place and I'm worried for the wellbeing of my beloved Broccoli! How on earth do I get rid of the Caterpillars?? Please please please help! It's my first year of growing veg, I don't want to lose my greatest triumph to these little blighters!

[QuizMaster]

Pick them off by hand.
If you have children and have read "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" you may feel bad about what needs to be done with them.

[Rod in Japan]

Yes, pick them off by hand and gently stand on them, or just give them a little snip with the garden scissors. Repeat daily. It helps if you whack the pretty little white flutterbys before they dab their little bottoms on the broccoli, but you can't be there on guard all the time. There's also something about sprinkling the broccoli with flour which makes the caterpillars have gout.

I believe you might even be able to ignore them completely. I've seen people harvesting florets from broccoli with almost totally skeletal leaves.

[Annpan]

They have covered my swede, so much that there are barely any leaves left.... but I can't pick them off.... I just don't do touching of creepy crawlies Since they are just on the swede, I am hoping the roots will be unaffected.

Hope you have more nerves than me hippy chick

[hippy chick]

I think I'm going to have to get my gardening gloves on and do some major picking of caterpillars, I'm not willing to risk my Broccoli... I'm too proud of it!

Thanks for your tips!

[QuizMaster]

... I just don't do touching of creepy crawlies ...

What are you doing here you big wuss?
You should be on "www.buy_everything_in_the_shops_neatly_packaged.com".

Won't touch creepy crawlies

[Annpan]

... I just don't do touching of creepy crawlies ...

What are you doing here you big wuss?
You should be on "www.buy_everything_in_the_shops_neatly_packaged.com".

Won't touch creepy crawlies

Why should I touch creepy crawlies? because I want to grow stuff? because I want to live an eco friendly life?

Not wanting to touch beasties is perfectly valid, many of us have the instinct to steer clear, it is a natural throwback from the danger of poisonous beasties (as are fears of snakes, spiders, etc)
That said, I will pick off, splat, flick, etc any beastie that goes near my child (that counts for beasts of all sizes )

Yup I am a big wuss, but that doesn't mean I want to buy packaged crap from T***o

[lsm1066]

My chickens love caterpillars and my kids, gruesome little tykes that they are, love feeding them to them. It's what I like to call a symbiotic relationship. Sadly, My white and purple sprouting brocolli and my romanescus are currently shadows of their former selves, although they're putting on new leaves all the time. According to my mum, who gets this every year, since they're late crops they should just carry on growing, even though all I seem to have left is leaf skeletons. Still, I may have to resort to boiling up rhubarb leaves and spraying the little blighters!

Lynne

[pumpy]

Our brocolli,swede & sprout plants are all under heavy attack. Every day i go & squish dozens of caterpillers (whilst wearing a glove) - don't like to do it, but what's the alternative? As far as i'm concerned, they can breed any place they like, -- except on my food. While you out on guard/inspection duties, lookout for the yellow egg clusters, & so nip the problem in the bud - as it were!

[LBR]

I can't stand to squish them, so I chop them.

[pumpy]

You could try sitting down to squish them.............i'll get my coat!

[MKG]

The perfect solution - don't squish 'em, don't snip 'em. don't drown 'em. Eat the buggers!!!!

Now we'll see who the wusses are!

[Mr and Mrs luvpie]

I may have to resort to boiling up rhubarb leaves and spraying the little blighters!

Lynne

Obviously that does work otherwise you wouldn't have put it here, but is it really as simple as boiling then spraying? If so how long does it work for? We've currently got a swarm of the little buggers and are about to go on holiday so would like to do something that might see them off for a week, alos got the Rhubarb leaves thanks to the boys demanding crumble last night

Sarah

[red]

yeh pick them off.. and then look every day for eggs.. either single pale green ones, or cluster of yellow ones. usually on the underside of the leaves rub them out when you find them

re touchy creepy crawlies.. I understand - but you do soon harden up when its them or your food - i actually hand pick slugs off things now (although i would rather not) but wear gloves if you have to.

[hippy chick]

My broccoli got completely massacred in the summer, and I'm not willing to let it happen this year! It's garden wars on all things creepy crawly. Someone mentioned that if you spray them with soapy water it gets rid of them:

1. Does this work?
2. Is it wise to spray my veg with soapy water... I do want to eat it afterall? (the veg that is, not the soapy water)