Brassicas - is it worth persevering?

[Susan BBPM]

I love broccili, white cabbage and cauliflower. Unfortunately so do the cabbage whites and slugs.

My first year of gardening I started all of the above really early and we harvested before the cabbage whites got going. But that was clearly beginners luck as my brassicas have failed every time since then. Either slugs, cabbage whites or my husband spraying them with *neet* neem and killing them!! LOL

I have lots of 1m square raised beds and the problem with netting is that it's hard to make the net enclosure big enough - as soon as the leaves touch the net the cabbage white's get them.

We had good success with nematodes this year for slugs, so I think it is just the cabbage whites I need to worry about.

I dislike the look of nets on the beds (but willing to put up with it if I get a crop of brassicas).

I guess I'm just looking for reassurance to persevere - so many experienced gardeners DON'T grow brassicas because there are so many pests that like them. I'm getting fed up of wasting beds on crops that fail, but don't want to give up too soon if it is doable once you get the knack.

All thoughts and comments welcome.

 

[YumYum]

We have plenty of cutworms, cabbage worms, and army worms. Never really noticed slugs that much. I make it a point to scout for worms and bugs and spray accordingly and seem to do fine for the most part. Seems like the worms can infest a plant and turn it into a skeleton within a few days this time of year.

I like canned cabbage. I freeze my broccoli and cauliflower. I think they are worth the hassel.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I planted my kale a bit early this year and cabbage whites decimated it. I usually manage to grow kale and purple sprouting broccoli so they do most of their growing in winter and I avoid them and don't bother with the summer crops. There is nothing quite so off putting as being just about to take a fork full of summer broccoli and spotting a well cooked caterpillar on it.

 

[Susan BBPM]

I planted my kale a bit early this year and cabbage whites decimated it. I usually manage to grow kale and purple sprouting broccoli so they do most of their growing in winter and I avoid them and don't bother with the summer crops. There is nothing quite so off putting as being just about to take a fork full of summer broccoli and spotting a well cooked caterpillar on it.

This is the problem for me. I'm still very squeamish about creepy crawlies and once I see anything on an edible it has to be binned. Even out in the garden if I see a slug or grub on it I can't bring myself to eat it. I'm sure I'll get over it in time!!