[Wild Willow]

Hi,

Does anyone have any advice on how to "save" kale once the butterflies start laying their eggs and the hungry caterpillars hatch?

I've been checking daily since I noticed my kale disappearing (just this past weekend) and I've been squishing all the eggs and picking off all the caterpillars but every evening there is more damage.  Does anyone know how to save my kale (preferably organic)?  It's disappearing quickly!

[mumofstig]

Cover with netting and keep squishing until you are sure there are no more on the cabbages under it.

All brassicas need covering with netting (7mm holes or less) to keep the 'pillars and birds off, from the beginning - 'tis the only way........................................

[BabbyAnn]

I managed to avoid the cabbage white but over winter, the pigeons hammered all my kale.  They really looked beyond recovery but I put a fleece over and left them.  Amazing stuff is kale - they soon threw out a fresh crop of leaves (nice and tender too) so I'm confident that once you get the caterpillar situation under control, your kale will grow again 

[Wild Willow]

Thanks!  I'm on the patrol for eggs and getting a net! 

[Beetroot queen]

We have an old boy who can be seen running around half the day long with a kids fishing net catching butterflies and squishing them, surely a net would be better use. He has been known to knock the heads off people cabbage in pursuit of a butterfly.

I net mine from the start and keep an eye out when weeding.

[Trillium]

Keep squishing them and soon they'll stop being around and the kale will recover. I always forget to net mine and by fall the plants are nicely lush again.

[seaside]

If you have a hose and good water pressure, give the kale a good meticulous hosing as well before you net them. They are difficult to see sometimes.

[strider84]

I found a couple of eggs the other day but just wiped them off I have more problems with slugs but some well placed beer traps have sorted that problem.