[yummy]

We had both been ill and very busy at work, hence hadn't been to plot for about 3 weeks. Went last weekend to pick some Christmas veggies. Arrived to find entire brassica bed munched to death. There were white flies on the undersides of my kale and my sprouts were covered in little holes. The whole bed is netted. What else should I have done please? I didn't realise that you still got pest problems like this in the middle of winter.

My autumn sown broad bean shoots had also been robbed. The weeds are still growing too.

[DD.]

Rabbits? Unless well pegged down, they can slip under the netting.

[brucesgirl]

Our plot has been ravaged by squirrels. They have eaten through the fleece over the peas and the spring cabbage, letting in the pigeons, I would guess. We have done a few temporary repairs with clothes pegs, but will have to cover the fleece next year with viromesh I think, or maybe even some wire mesh.

[gobs]

We have plenty of squirrels but never went for the brassicas as yet, covered or not.

Yummy, it is normal, I'm afraid. The wetter, cooler season seas the more damage from slugs (your sprouts might be damaged by them and they help with most things to others) and hungry animals.

The netting only will protect from birds, if it is good, but weather and foxes, badgers, dogs, cats can make serious damage in it to let in anybody interested.  Also have seen pigeons pulling and packing at plants through netting.

But it is not a serious deterrent to the small sharp teethed rodents.

See around, what measures are taken nearby. If it's rabbits, you need a more serious protection for plants, if it's rats and mice, you got to lose them, rat poison or calling the man.

White fly is common on allotments, it's yuk but rarely causes huge damage.

[van connick]

oh what a shame about your veggies..... :cry:
i hope you managed to salvage enough for your Christmas dinner....

i am afraid, no matter what we grow, whether it be veggies, crops or animals for meat, we are always fighting against something....
aphids, slugs, rabbits, F&M, bluetongue, bird flu, wet weather, etc etc
we just have to learn as we go, and be prepared for it next season....that's all we can do.....

anyone else on your lotty had probs too....if they have, you could ask how they have dealt with it.