[BumbleJo]

Hi folks
So I thought I'd give calabrese a go as psb does quite well. The plants grew well and still look healthy but the nice green head that was forming became infested with little black beetles or flies then fairly quickly started yellowing and are now brown and ruined.  Am going to wait to see if any side heads appear but wondered if others had had this problem, is it likely to re-occur and is there anything I can do to stop it other than enviromesh.  (Didn't have enough to cover all my brassicas...)
Cheers.

[mumofstig]

Under debris netting, mine didn't get beetles, but did bolt very quickly - because of the hot dry weather, I suppose.
I've cut the flower tops off and given them a good soaking, hoping for some sideshoots. Fingers crossed!

[sunshineband]

I used debris netting over calabrese last year, and they did do quite well. It sounds as though they have been infested with caterpillars that have been eating the main head (yuck!) but as you have cut this off, side shoots should grow, especially if you keep the plants well watered and give them a feed

(A really good soak once a week will do the job!)

[al78]

I have used Veggiemesh over all my brassicas. Still got affected by a swarm of whitefly.

I have a similar problem with not picking calabrese in time before it flowers. Thanks to the bone dry weather it seems like I have to pitch camp on the plot for the rest of summer to catch it in time.

This seems to be gardening in this day and age, every year something detrimental happens.

[sunshineband]

I have used Veggiemesh over all my brassicas. Still got affected by a swarm of whitefly.

I have a similar problem with not picking calabrese in time before it flowers. Thanks to the bone dry weather it seems like I have to pitch camp on the plot for the rest of summer to catch it in time.

This seems to be gardening in this day and age, every year something detrimental happens.

Surprised you had whitefly under veggiemesh... what a shame! I thought it had really tiny holes that would keep them out ☹