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caterpillars off my brocolli!

6 replies

dingdong05 · 28/08/2009 10:53

i cut my 1st ever brocolli from my allotment and it was hoachin with little caterpillars (about 1cm). i got rid of loads and then boiled it but found more en route to my mouth. urgh!
i cut the rest up in to little florets and washed as much as i can, but does anyone have an easier/quicker way. must i forgo big florets for dinner?
thanks!

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cocolepew · 28/08/2009 19:56

.

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dingdong05 · 28/08/2009 22:30

erm, thanks cocolepew

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hophophippidtyhop · 29/08/2009 15:24

Don't know the answer to that, but in future you need to look out for cabbage butterfies from around june onwards. The buggers lay eggs on your leaves. They are litle groups of bright yellow dots. You can fight them by firstly heaping a load of netting over your plants, then checking your leaves every 2-3 days. If you find some, you can spray them with a bug spray (I got mine from b&q, check it does caterpillars),scrape them off with your trowel and mutter get orf my broccoli/sprouts, you basteads!

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peanutbutterkid · 29/08/2009 16:06

F*ckers, you have to net early AND spend all of July picking them off. I have given up growing brassicas.

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Takver · 30/08/2009 13:37

Soak them in warm salty water (very salty), leave them for 15 mins or so, it should do the trick.

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dingdong05 · 01/09/2009 13:19

I was too relaxed about inspection but I never saw nuffin!
Hopefully the salty water will make them all magically float away cause finding one on my fork really ruined my otherwise gorgeous home grown dinner
boak
thanks everyone!

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