[nobby]

ealy sowings go in seed trays then later ones like jan kings and spring greens in the seed bed

[titch]

Enviromesh.....I'm never growing broccoli without it again.

 i lost all brassicas last summer to cabbage white caterpillars, so invested in some enviromesh - pricey yes , but will last for a good few years and stop the little pests, worht every penny spent
i echo your thoughts

[Paul Plots]

Enviromesh.....I'm never growing broccoli without it again.

 i lost all brassicas last summer to cabbage white caterpillars, so invested in some enviromesh - pricey yes , but will last for a good few years and stop the little pests, worht every penny spent
i echo your thoughts

I'm with you on the environmesh - I'm going to get some.
Not used it yet but I bet it beats b-gg--ing about with soapy sprays and flapping around with a small paint-brush and a pot to knock the little s-ds into. 

Purple sprouting sown into a 12" pot and left there until final planting out - seems to work for me.... caterpillars willing!

[Rampant_Weasel]

for cabbages i sow in a seed tray and then when they have 4 leaves or over i put them into bigger pots ( all in coldframe). then into the ground. i made some boxes out of 2 by 2 inch wood and tied netting to it to defeat pigeons and catertpillars.scaffold netting is put on if the butterflies manage to get thru its called derris netting i think. coupled with slug pellets it works well.will be doing the same for sprouts this year.

like so..spring cabbages last year.

[pushrod]

for cabbages i sow in a seed tray and then when they have 4 leaves or over i put them into bigger pots ( all in coldframe). then into the ground. i made some boxes out of 2 by 2 inch wood and tied netting to it to defeat pigeons and catertpillars.scaffold netting is put on if the butterflies manage to get thru its called derris netting i think. coupled with slug pellets it works well.will be doing the same for sprouts this year.

like so..spring cabbages last year.

I did something similar with my sprouts. Everything was going great until i went away on holiday. While i was away they carried on growing , touched the sides of the narrow mesh - blooming butterflies couldn't get in but could lay their eggs thru the gaps 

I suppose i could try the enviromesh...

[Paul Plots]

That looks a proper job - heavy enough to keep off some big pigeons!

I had to make a really high frame last year as my purple sprouting brocolli just kept growing taller and bigger....it was a beautiful crop. This year.....tiddlers!

[Sadgit]

But what do you all do about the caterpillars? I have given up even trying because of them 

Netting.

Fleece for me. cheaper but doesn't last as many years but you can often get it very cheap on e-bay