cabbages being eaten

I should have covered them with net but I didn't steep learning curve!
I was watching those pesky cabbage whites and thought I could keep on top of picking off eggs and baby caterpillars but I couldn't. It isn't just the outer leaves that have been nobbled but the one variety of cabbage white has gone straight into the hearts.
The cabbages are still growing but I don't know whether I should just cut my losses and pull them out and plant something else,
or can they still develop enough foliage after this attack to be worthwhile keeping?

 

Louise I feel your pain and I have learn't the same lesson... I had 2 lovely pots of mediterranean mixed lettuce and other salad leaves like Rocket that I was going to use as baby leaf about 1-2 weeks away from harvesting then bam within a few days my leaves are stripped by those little pesky green cabbage white caterpillars! Lucky for me I grow everything in containers and the baby leaf mixes of seeds are quick growing so I've just ripped everything out and about to start again... this time protected by a mini grow house!

 

Thanks both.
Some seem to attacked worse than others. I am going to let them be for the moment and pull them out later if they are no good / when I need the space. Everything seems to be having a free for all on them at the moment, pigeons and I even found a slug inside one. But If it means they will leave everything else alone, I'll bear it a bit longer

 

I don't learn either. I kept saying I'd cover the cabbages too. :-(
next year, it will be different. I will be more vigilant and I will net everything too.

 

Hello Shobhna. Nice to see you back on the forum.

The cabbage whites seem to be particularly troublesome this year. They're everywhere!

 

then there's all the nasty black caterpillar poo they leave behind on your now lace effect greens :skp:

 

I don't think all this natural food is quite what it's cracked up to be. I'm off for an artificial curry flavoured pot noodle with an Angel Delight chaser. :hehe:

 

Tut tut, JWK. Actually I rather like Smash too. :hehe:

Unfortunately my local supermarket encourages bad eating habits by making the fruit and vege section so cold that customers have been known to die of exposure just by lingering a little too long over the Taste the Difference baby leeks. Unless you are prepared to be bundled up in three overcoats during a heatwave, the only way to survive the shopping experience is to rush around the fresh produce and grab two bags at random before bolting for the tropical heat of the newly baked bread and cakes section. :luv: :luv:

 

And I thought I was immune seeing as my garden is a balcony to a flat in a town centre.... they've attacked my Radishes aswell which I have in a large veg planter lol the other day I had a mini swarm of Cabbage Whites round them... revenge I think for throwing their offspring(off the lettuce) in the bin... I tried swooshing them away to no avail so gave up :( On the plus side I have a tribe of wasps visit several times a day to pick the caterpillars off... so the problem isn't so bad... I'm starting off some other cabbage white delicacies in my growhouse(protected) once they're planted out they will get full protection!

 

Clare, thanks, I am back.
Things are slowly getting sorted and I'm getting my life together. Have certainly been doing a lot more in the garden this year though I slipped uo witht he cabbayges. I somehow trusted that no self respecting cabbage white would hassle my few cabbages. WRONG !!! :(
Next year I will cover the whole thing in netting.

 

Hi Shobhna,
Make sure its fine netting as i've watched the small babbage whites circle above inch square netting, when they've seen a gap big enough, they close there wings & just drop straight thru.

I look round the veg section in tescos, check the price of water cress & then go and pick it from the stream behind, saved £1.50 today