[allanpilgrim]

My first post so please understand.

Last year due to a back injury I couldn't attend my allotment for a few weeks...during which time my brassicas were decimated by caterpillar.This is the second time it has happend in 4 years.

So I decided to use ,for the first time,Derris only to find that its now banned.

Can anyone advice of a good but safe substitute.

thanks

[DD.]

Welcome to the forums.

It's not often I have to use it as I net my brassicas, but I use Bug Clear from Scott. Don't think it mentions caterpillars, they're certainly not on the front of the box, but they don't like it!

[digalotty]

a good netting that can be used year after year would be a good , and may work out in the long run

[Kristen]

I use Water Pipe hoops and Scaffolders Debris netting (cheap enough to buy, but you may well be able to blag some if there is a job going on near you - they often chuck it in the skip when they are done, and I'm sure would be happy to give it to you rather than pay SKip charges to have it taken away)

Some pictures on my blog if you need instructions suitable for 9-year-old slave labour!

[fatcat1955]

I have made cloches using tanalised roofing battens, mdpe blue pipe and debris netting. I made them half the width of my plot (7ft) and 3ft wide in old money. They are so light i can lift 1 with my little finger. Now it's so much easier to protect my crops.

[Mark-S]

My first post so please understand.

Last year due to a back injury I couldn't attend my allotment for a few weeks...during which time my brassicas were decimated by caterpillar.This is the second time it has happend in 4 years.

So I decided to use ,for the first time,Derris only to find that its now banned.

Can anyone advice of a good but safe substitute.

thanks

Bayers bug spray product containing thiacloprid is effective.

[allanpilgrim]

Thanks...for you help everyone

[rowlandwells]

i have been spraying with a rhubarb leaves together with  a week solution of washing up liquid  although its somewhat effective it has a vile smell

i was  looking through my garden catalogue i found a spray that i mite give a try its called Provado ultimate Bug Killer i thought about the concentrate size 400ml i dont know how much this bottle makes and what coverage its sells for around £7.58 for 400ml and says a control of greenfly,black-fly,lily beetle,woolly aphid,whitefly,mealy bug,and scale insects around 6wks

it says use protection outdoors and indoors use on flowers and a wide range of edibles
i don't know if anyone has used this spray on vegetable's can anyone give us any information on this spray   

[Ice]

The website can't condone the use of home made pesticides, though you can do what you like in the privacy of your own plot.

I use Provado ultimate and find it very effective, even against caterpillars, though netting properly is a better idea than chemicals.  You MUST read the instructions and obey them to the letter as we can't advise anything else. 

[mumofstig]

here's an old post about Provado Ultimate 

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=37204.msg444213#msg444213

[rowlandwells]

thanks mumofstig i have read the post on provado i think i may give this a try as netting seems an idea but a bit costly and time consuming as i have rather a large area to cover 

i have come to the conclusion that most of my brassicas should be harvested before  winter sets in 

[Kristen]

netting seems an idea but a bit costly and time consuming as i have rather a large area to cover 

See my earlier post - it is not that expensive even if you buy it (as I did) rather than blagging it.  Pictures on my blog of a 9-year-old installing it! My plot would definitely be described as large ... it takes very little time indeed to do - much less than I would do spraying - assuming I was around and had spare time at the moment the blighters decided to mount an attack!