brassica bugs

[doris day]

I am a keen veg grower and this year have had so many problems with my brassicas I wouldn't bore you with listing them.  However, I must mention one pest - the brassica bug - euydema oleracea.  Small beetle like thing in various sizes - yellowish with black mask on back - that sucks the life out of leaves leaving them brown and dry.  Does anyone else have this problem?  If so what have you done (I'm organic) and how might I prevent them coming back next year? 

Thanks Doris

[Gardengirl]

Sorry, can't offer you any real help on prevention. I've known them as being on wild brassica family plants, and moving along to cultivated brassicas. They can also move on to potatoes, I believe!

The adults over-winter on soil, often under stones; also in cracks and crevices on trunks etc. They emerge in spring, and can lay 2 lots of eggs, one generation emerging  in May - July, with another at the end of August - October.

Malathion was  used commercially, also refined rape oil.

What do you do about caterpillars of cabbage white butterflies on your brassicas? Maybe try the same. I gave up on brassicas, as the only way that worked was to pick the caterpillars off the undersides of leaves and either squash them (ugh!), or put them in a pot of salt water to kill them. But there were so many, I couldn't keep bending down so much due to a bad back.

I commiserate with you on your nasties,

Jo

 

[Patf]

There's the brassica flea beetle too:

http://www.umassvegetable.org/growers_services/pdf_files/flea_beetle_factsheet.pdf

We had an infestation once, carried over from rape in the next field. Some came into the house, on our clothes I suppose, and I thought the cats had fleas[:(]

I never researched how to control them.

[doris day]

Thanks for answering.

Yeah, the flea beetle.   They had/have those too.  To keep them under control I walk round the patch with a piece of stiff paper or card covered in honey or something very sticky.  I then, holding the paper stinky side down over the leaves, tap each leaf upwards.  Two or three times really did seem to take the numbers down.  (they were really infested) I agree these flea beetles are a huge problem.  They start on roquet (!!) and move on.  As for the caterpillars - yes, I afraid I do squash them.  Horrible I know but I tend to do it between the leaves.  I very quickly got over my squeemishness killing the colorado beetles.. It's us or them!!

In fact I think my brassicas have had every pest and disease known.  Including some maggots which ate the roots.

I understand why you gave up!!  I also understand why they are not grown here very much.  Something to do with warmer climates??

supermarket broccoli seems to come from Spain tho?!  They must use tons of chemicals to keep everything under control!

[Gardengirl]

I'd forgotten about flea beetles; yes, all over rocket too!

We eat a lot of cabbage and broccoli in UK, but not in France. I buy organic ones in UK, and am concerned about the chemicals in those I see in France; as you say, a lot is from Spain and I've heard they use huge amounts of chemicals. I don't think I go OTT on this, but I'm pleased, for instance, that our egg man in the market rears his hens organically. 

It sounds as though you have plenty to keep you busy in your plot!

Jo

 

[doris day]

Hi Jo

yes, my veggie patch is my passion really.  I love it.  I also love broccolli and sproats.  This is the third year I've grown them, the two previous years quite successfully.  I guess the pests just multiply over the years.  I am determined to continue tho and to avoid the chemicals. 

What do you grow?

Doris

[Gardengirl]

Hi Doris,

My garden is in UK, and I don't grow a lot these days; cabbages, broccoli etc was a while ago. I began to cut back on other crops as my knees and back deteriorated, and now the veg patch is quite small.We spend half the year in France, several weeks at a time, so I tend to limit crops to tomatoes and courgettes which look after themselves while we are away; our son lives locally and collects the courgettes every couple of days while we are gone. When we get back he's ready for a rest from them!

I also do lots of salads and herbs, also strawberries - no work there, but the slugs and birds get more than us! I did stick some butternut squash in this year, but they didn't grow; I never water anything once it's been well-watered in, so I suspect that's what they needed, although it's been my best year for tomatoes and courgettes for ages! 

I used to grow lots of varieties of beans, peas, potatoes, carrots (dreadful in our clay soil, but it got better), brassicas etc. A lot of work, but like you I loved it. I was also an organic gardener, still am, but I grow very little now, as you see.

In France I just have a balcony, but grow salads and herbs in pots; I buy them on the market, and they love it out there; we're fairly self-sufficient in salads over several weeks, and I'll be potting some more up later this week; we return tomorrow, and should have several more good growing weeks ahead. I pass my pots of salads and herbs on to a neighbour when we leave, and she eats whatever's left; she's intrigued by this English woman who gardens 2 floors up!

Lots of luck for your winter crops,

Jo

[doris day]

Hi Jo

Your post reminded me of the roof top gardens in New York - i guess because you garden 2 floors up!!

I think just growing a little is great. Once you have the gardening bug it's hard to give it up. 

I've managed to keep on top of the courgettes this year - dunno how.  I think the variety isn't a prolific as others can be.  my problem earlier in the year was cucumbers - they were incredible.  and what can be done with a surplus of them?  i've learnt my lesson there I think.

Back to the bugs - I noticed that the ones on the rocket are similar to the others but not quite the same markings.  However, what really sets them apart is the fact that they can fly!!  So... they're off before you've got a chance to catch them.  colorado beetles, which can also fly, are so slow you can easily get them.  These things are like lightening.  There was nothing else for it I had to pull up the plants - especially since they were already full of holes from the flea beetles.  There must be a way of controlling this pest.

Help!!

Doris