[Donnay]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me if you need to net swedes and turnips to protect? I have put vegi mesh over my other brassicas but was unsure about these two!

[mumofstig]

I don't and nothings eaten them so far but we don't have a lot of pigeons around.

[Rangerkris]

Flea Beetle will give the turnips a good going over, not sure if that the same for swede.

[DD.]

I have to net against my pigeons. 

[Donnay]

So you don't need to protect against carrot fly? Sorry newbi!

[DD.]

Nope.

Technically they are not a true root veg, they are a swollen stem brassica. They have their enemies, but carrot root fly is not one of them.

[Donnay]

Thanks eveyone.x

[Kirpi]

I protect with insect netting against cabbage white. I have had CW caterpillars on both swedes and turnips in past years.

[greenhead]

Have to net to protect from Pigeons and the CW otherwise the whole crop is devoured.

[Rampant_Weasel]

i always net swedes with enviromesh to stop whitefly and also cabbage white - perfect crop last year

[heloise]

Have to net swede against pigeons else they vanish overnight. The swede, unfortunately, not the pigeons.

[Griffete]

I've put one of these on the plot to stop the  pigeons and its working up to now...we have a lot of  pigeons on are allotment but none have bothered the veg  
£16 from the gunsmiths

[mumofstig]

I protect with insect netting against cabbage white. I have had CW caterpillars on both swedes and turnips in past years.

But does it matter when you're not eating the leaves 

[fatcat1955]

Netting Swede's keeps the flea beetles off. They can decimate the leaves causing the plant's to die.

[Rampant_Weasel]

I protect with insect netting against cabbage white. I have had CW caterpillars on both swedes and turnips in past years.

But does it matter when you're not eating the leaves 

yes cos the root wont grow without the leaves feeding it.
found that one out the hard way, golf ball swede for winter food