Is there any way to keep caterpillars away from brassicas

[Shutsumon]

The one and only time (many years ago) that I tried to grow brassicas of any sort they were eaten by caterpillars :-(

Now on my windowsill I have various brassica seedlings which will soon be ready to be planted out (especially the PSB and Dwarf Curly Kale both of which are probably ready now) but I'm worried because of my previous bad experience. Obviously they're fine while they are indoors but what about once they go outside? If I understand what I'm reading if I wait until June to plant them out they'll avoid the spring laying of both large and small cabbage whites, but I might still have trouble in late summer when the small cabbage whites have a second mating and laying season.

Is there any sort of netting or similar I can put over the beds to prevent the butterflies getting at them to lay their eggs in the first place?

[Green Aura]

When you plant them out put some netting over them - it's the butterflies you want to keep off. You can get pea netting quite cheap and it works well . We usually just push it down over a few pea sticks to keep it in place - and don't have any problems with caterpillars.

[becks77]

The little monkies came through the netting last year so was wondering if old net curtains , smallr holes would do?

[godfreyrob]

The mesh needs to be fine enough to prevent the butterflies getting through. Also the mesh needs to be lifted off the plants so that your cabbage leaves don't press against it - as this give the butterflies something to lay their eggs on.

Fleece does a good job and also helps protect the young plants from cold winds.

[Peggy Sue]

I net all mine with butterfly netting but I ahve seen then sqeeeeeze through I alos check for caterpillars regularly and sqush them (I do find I'm a lot less squeemish having lost crops....) but I leave the dead bodies on there, as a deterent for any thinking of laying eggs!

Net curtain should be fine, keep the devious critters out!