Clarissa wrote:


Thanks Bob, that's reassuring. I'll sit on them for a few months....

Thats *not* a good idea;~))
You've just discovered there are quite a few ways of growing Caulis. The fact your
caulis got clobbered by caterpillars won't have helped because that would give
them a very severe set-back - preventing checks in growth is the one unbreakable
rule for growing caulis. Your broccoli may well be the purple sprouting sort that
crops in spring so just wait & see what happens. If you could arrange some sort of
rudimentary protection like simple cold frame it's worth sowing some of the early
summer caulis in plugs in January for cropping outdoors early June - you often get
those before the caterpillars get going. Bob has already mentioned the Winter
spring caulis, if you're in luck some of what you have may be those. if so
depending on variety and sowing date you would get those in April - late May. They
are probably the easiest of all and usually free of pest problems. When watching
for caterpillar damage next summer look for small transparent areas of leaf where
a new brood has hatched - at that stage they're only a day or so old and still al
together and you can get the lot in one go with your thumb. The other thing for
caulis is good soil fertility.

--
Rod
http://website.lineone.net/%7Erodcraddock/index.html
My email address needs weeding.