Somethings eating my very young broccoli shoots!

[UNOITALIANO 10]

I have a new allotment and no experience of gardening.

 

I grew some purple broccoli from seeds at hom when they were about 3inches high I took them to the allotment and plated them in the ground.

 

The day after all the top leaves had been munched all bottom leaves still there.

What can I do to stop it and what is it?

 

all advice helpful

[rossyrooney 12]

Look for caterpillers,they climb to get to the youngest,juiciest,tender part of the plant.

Ask around your fellow gardeners,they will have a wealth of experience that i'm sure they would love to share with you.

[RobD1 10]

Did you net them? If not probably pigeons

[HarrietStar 10]

catterpillers decimated mine so it could be that

[Flo Fennel 10]

Slugs. They love young green tender growth. If you're not happy to use slug pellets (blue smarties to slugs and snails), surround your young plants with something dry like bran so the slimies can't get to them. If cabbage white butterflies are the culprit, you have to inspect for tiny yellow eggs on the underside of the leaves. These eggs turn into caterpillars that will munch the leaves. If you want to prevent cabbage root fly, put collars around the stems (circles of card with the middle cut out) and net them with enviromesh, or some light net curtains.

[rabitter 10]

l ook round bottom of plant if you can see bits of the leaves its birds not just pigeons

best to net all brassicas and use slug pellets

[Tyranna 10]

I've had the same with my broccolli seedlings in windowboxes on my balcony; its small green caterpillars from a butterfly like cabbage white; as I have few seedlings, I simply carefully searched out the insects and removed and killed them by hand. Fine nets would probably be best to keep the butterflies off seedlings in an allotment.

[Bonjon 10]

Dont know about anyone else but this year I have been infested with flea beetle!! I net but the little buggers can still get in!!

[rossyrooney 12]

Dont know about anyone else but this year I have been infested with flea beetle!! I net but the little buggers can still get in!!

 

As the old saying goes............they'll get where watter can't...........

[Bonjon 10]

As the old saying goes............they'll get where watter can't...........

 

I'm still trying to find away to get rid, they dont cause too much damage but do stunt growth.

[UNOITALIANO 10]

Thanks everyone,there is some evidence of leaves on the floor so maybe birds as someone mentioned. However, I hadn't been using nets and was trying to find pellets that were environmental friendly. However, the net wil go on this week along with any old slug pellets I can find.

 

Thanks again

[rossyrooney 12]

Prego..............................