[ptarmigan]

Hi
Come back from holiday to find my sprouts (under enivomesh) have been turned into lace by, I assume, cabbage white caterpillars.  What kind of tender loving care might help them limp through?

Ta.

[Nobbie]

If they were well established before the caterpiller attack I would think they'd recover fairly quickly and put out new leaves as they will already have a strong root system. Just make sure you find and destroy the caterpillers and mend the hole in the enviromesh! Maybe give them a quick sprinkle of growmore once the new leaves start appearing.

[ptarmigan]

Thank you - I'll give that a go.  It'll be a shame to see all that previous nurturing go to waste...

[beesrus]

Same issue here. I foolishly left the enviromesh off my 20 brussels for a couple of days a while back and lo and behold obvious damage and quite a few caterpillars yesterday and loads of eggs in little pools of rainwater in the cupped leaves. Spent half an hour picking them off and gave them a good hose down to catch any 'invisible' blighters.
A good idea to check in the tight little heads almost right down to the last one, it's not an arduous task, quite quick really, and well worth it as the odd little one starts off in there. Even a single caterpillar can do a lot of damage. A few are a bit chomped but they should recover now they've been seen to. Mine are pretty well advanced and in fine fettle otherwise, so I'm not too worried.

When and if the wasps arrive properly, I'll replace the mesh with bird netting and let them take care of matters. There's something quite comforting and balanced in seeing a few wasps buzzing in and out of the Brussels. Win win.

[mrsbean]

my sprouts are not netted, i just keep trying to de louse eggs and catterpillers was on top of it, but had grandchildren last week only got down thursday and oh dear what a mess. going down tomorrow as boys gone back. hope i have some thing left on sprouts/cabbage.

[cammi]

Can't offer any help im afraid just wanted to sympathise as I have spent the day pulling all brussles, caulis and cabbages up today  they were soooooooo covered in caterpillars there was no chance of catching them all.  I did notice the wasps grabbing some, first time i have ever liked wasps lol. Hope yours recover.

[Ma Lowe]

Make sure none of the leaves are touching the Enviromesh as the butterflies can still land on the netting and lay eggs through it onto the leaves. I had broccoli that had been covered with Enviromesh from planting out but still had some caterpillars in there when the plants got bigger and holes all over the leaves.
Another thing we have tried is putting rhubarb leaves in water to soak for a few weeks then spraying this awful smelling stuff over our swede and Brussells. So far no caterpillars they apparently don't like the smell either.

[rosiecider]

I have checked my 12 sprout plants all summer and the caulis, savoy cabbage removed 3 batches of eggs, no caterpillars though but by sheer fluke I placed a bird feeding station near them and have noticed blue tits and coal tits and dunnocks  pecking round the leaves wonder if that is where they are going, as nothing is eating the leaves, would be ideal if the area had not been so windy most of the sprouts have blown with windrock even though they are tied to posts... win some you lose some 

[beesrus]

Given it's now September, I took the enviromesh off the sprouts today at last. Last week's caterpillar attack has been overcome and the brussels have recovered quickly and are looking and tasting good. Still a few cabbage whites around, but 10 minutes after taking off the mesh, a couple of yellow and black frigates appeared like magic, buzzing and poking about. I think they and I can see off the boarders from here on in.

[Kristen]

I think they and I can see off the boarders from here on in.

The Pigeons will be the next attack wave

[beesrus]

I've left a bird net over them. Plenty of room for the wasps though.