Hi was wondering if someone could help me here. When are Winter Cauliflowers supposed to form their heads? I have an Armando April Variety from the Dutch strain.

The leaves were badly damaged by Cabbage White; and other; caterpillars which decimated some of the leaves. Can anyone recommend a way of keeping caterpillars off Brassicas? I am worried that the damage has caused them not to form heads.

My Dad used to grown them several years ago, and said that on some occasions his went blind. I watered them throughout the dry summer, and tried to keep pest down to a minimum.

Be grateful for any help

Dave

"davidmaynard1" wrote in message
...
:
: Hi was wondering if someone could help me here. When are Winter
: Cauliflowers supposed to form their heads? I have an Armando April
: Variety from the Dutch strain.
:
: The leaves were badly damaged by Cabbage White; and other; caterpillars
: which decimated some of the leaves. Can anyone recommend a way of
: keeping caterpillars off Brassicas? I am worried that the damage has
: caused them not to form heads.
:
: My Dad used to grown them several years ago, and said that on some
: occasions his went blind. I watered them throughout the dry summer,
: and tried to keep pest down to a minimum.
:
: Be grateful for any help
:
: Dave
Regarding the caterpillars, you want a fine net over them which keeps the
butterflies off and also keeps out the pigeons

"Dave wrote

Hi was wondering if someone could help me here. When are Winter
Cauliflowers supposed to form their heads? I have an Armando April
Variety from the Dutch strain.

Would you believe ... April ... as the name suggests.


The leaves were badly damaged by Cabbage White; and other; caterpillars
which decimated some of the leaves. Can anyone recommend a way of
keeping caterpillars off Brassicas? I am worried that the damage has
caused them not to form heads.

Fine nets or "Envormesh" is the only way I know to keep butterflies from
laying eggs but it's a pain for weeding having to take it off and put it
back. For pigeons CD's strung up on poles to spin and flash in the sun,
Video tape tied onto poles to wave, flash and rustle in the breeze.
I doubt it will have damaged them that much, they have a couple of months
nearly to continue growing and no more caterpillars. You'll know when curds
are growing when the leaves at the top start to curl round.

My Dad used to grown them several years ago, and said that on some
occasions his went blind. I watered them throughout the dry summer,
and tried to keep pest down to a minimum.


They don't like any check on growth, like draught, but I've always found
this variety very reliable.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

Hi

Many thanks for your help. If I may just ask one other burning question! I was reading in Dr. Hessayon's Veg Expert that you are supposed to break a few leaves over the curd. Can I ask is this wise and if so, which leaves should I break and how do I break them over.

This is my first year of growing any vegetables; my Dad used to grow them but stopped in 1999 when we turned the old veg plot into a lawn and water feature! I had huge success with French Beans and Cucumbers in the greenhouse, but I digress from the thread!

Thanks one again

Dave

The message
from davidmaynard1 contains
these words:


Hi

Many thanks for your help. If I may just ask one other burning
question! I was reading in Dr. Hessayon's Veg Expert that you are
supposed to break a few leaves over the curd. Can I ask is this wise
and if so, which leaves should I break and how do I break them over.

Choose big leaves which will reach across the curd. Don't pull the
leaf off the stalk, leave it attached , just fold it across the widest
middle bit, like creasing a piece of paper. I usually do a leaf from
each side, then use a bit of stick threaded through them to hold them in
place.

Janet