cabbage white butterflies

Ive just read that if you grow some nasturtiums near any cabbages, lettuces etc they attract the cabbage white butterflies away from the veg. I lost lots of broccoli to the little pests last year.:thmb:

 

linny, I'm not a fan of the 'faith' method, much better (I think) to put a physical barrier in the way. I use 'enviromesh'. It also keeps out cabbage root fly :thumb: Cheers...freddy.

 

Have a look for Debris Netting on eBay. Mesh size is small enough to keep butterfly out, but priced at building trades prices, rather than garden centre prices!!

I have the 3M width which, for me 1.2M beds, gives me a "clear height" of 0.9M (where 2M roll would only give clear-height of 0.4M which is too low for Sprouts, and probably most other Brassicas too.

 

Cabbage White certainly go for nasturtiums linny but as freddy and Kristen say, it's better to protect the crop you actually want and why provide a pest with a breeding ground and unlimited food ?

 

I grow lots of nasturtiums, but they're for my plate not any pests!!!! :hehe: Though from experience they do tend to go for them rather than other things!!!!

 

yes i read you can eat them, is it just the flowers or the leaves aswellk-l

 

You can eat the leaves, the flowers (peppery) and even the seeds in a jar of vinegar can be used like capers linny. Me too butterflies, mine self seed all over the place and are welcome as a salad booster.

 

My calabrese are covered over by a net arounnd a frame of garden canes, and stapled to the trellis (homemade lol) I heard that birds also like them

 

I'll happily munch the whole lot......brightens up a salad beautifully!

 

They're excellent things aren't they? Pretty & Tasty to boot!

 

It's not just the cabbage white that they attract: Check out the black fly.

BTW I agree with the tastyness. Quite unique. The root of the name I think suggests otherwise.

 

I just had to google that.....and i quite agree!!!!!!!