Keeping the Cabbage White Butterfly Off My Brassicas

Last summer, a momentary lapse of attention for a couple of days led to my carefully nurtured brassicas getting the Cabbage White devastation treatment and I'm determined to do better next year! This summer past, I was checking each plant and crushing the eggs and removing the caterpillars (to a place of execution!)

My plan this year is to keep up the vigilance but to add to my strategy with some defensive action. I'm proposing to construct some frames with 90° corners out of something like 50mm x 25mm timber and stretch over them some butterfly mesh. If I'm careful that no gaps are left, particularly where they sit on the soil, I hope that I can keep the blighters out.

1. How does this sound as a strategy?
2. Do you have alternative or additional suggestions?
3. Can you recommend a type of netting? I've seen something called Enviromesh on the web?

Thanks, in anticipation, for any advice or ideas.

 

Hi,

Yes, thats the typical and probably best way to keep them out.

For netting would just use some of the small mesh types you can get quiet cheaply from Wliko etc.
Just make sure you strech it tightly over your wooden frame to help avoid birds etc getting tangled up in it.

Depending on the size of your bed, make a simple hinged or roll up lid or door way so you can tend around them etc.

A staple gun makes easy work of attaching the netting.

 

Just make sure birds cant get trapped in there.