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Monday, June 28, 2010

Brassica'd off!

Despite growing my cabbages completely under this green netting some critters have still managed to get in and lay some eggs. Tonight I poked my head inside to see some holes on one of my plants and closer inspection revealed 3 or 4 fairly large green caterpillars ( too early for cabbage whites which are yellow and black). These have been duly squashed but I shall have to be vigilant in the next few days in case there are any more lurking.

If i'm honest there are quite a few large holes in the netting so I'll have to get the knitting needles out!

7 comments:

a lepidopterist said...

i think you will fnd that the green caterpillars relate to the small white butterfly, whilst as you say the yellow and black ones relate to the large white (cabbage white)

Simon (Smithyveg) said...

Either way....they're both fluttery bastards and I want them all DEEEEEEAD!

AlanT said...

We had a plague of the small whites last year. Every cauli was covered with eggs. I'd been regularly spraying them with a solution of neem oil and had no damage done :-)

Same with my exhibition leeks. I swear by that stuff!

Unknown said...

What Circumferance do you reccomend for Vento mine are all around 9.5 to 10 inches

Simon (Smithyveg) said...

Pi x d gives you a circumference of 10.2 inches Paul.

Pull the first one that gets to that size, cut the top to a couple of inches and weigh. Assess from that but bear in mind that it will lose a little wweight as it ripens.

Also bear in mind that the onions won't all be the same profile looking side on.....some will be deeper bodied and could well weigh quite a bit more at the same diameter.

Unknown said...

Thank's for that Simon I read in my book growing Onions & Shallots by Daniel Calderbank that you should Pick them at 9.75" which I did with my first 6 but you seem to be nearer the mark as these weigh just under the 8oz before they are ripened so may end up at 7.5oz.Am I correct in assuming that they should be as near as possible to 8oz?
cheers Paul

Simon (Smithyveg) said...

Depends what rules the show is being judged under Paul. If RHS it's 8oz but if NVS it would be
250g.

8oz = 227g

Ideally you want to be as close to the mark as possible as the judge will weigh every bulb and cannot fail to be impressed by uniformity coupled with as near as dammit spot on weight. However, if my show called for 8oz onions and mine weighed 7.5 I'd be happy with that.

Best to be under than over.....you can do anything about that then.