More variable weather recently, but still sunny and hot most of the time but at least we’ve had rain at times.
Looking at the brassicas recently I noticed more than the odd bit chewed out of leaves but some leaves had been effectively ’skeletonised’ - and on inspecting closely I could see caterpillars - and lots of them! (see below). So the only solution was to pick them off manually and throw them well away (the toads and frogs will get them) - and I’ve now had several clearance sessions and I’m still finding more. Interestingly they seem to be attacking the brussels sprout plants preferentially, the broccoli less so and the cabbage hardly at all. They also seem to have been moving from plant to plant ‘mob handed’ judging by the fact that on some well chewed plants I couldn’t find a single caterpillar. They are of course ‘cabbage white’ caterpillars, though I haven’t identified the precise species.
Caterpillar attack!
Apart from that there is an attack of white fly on the brassicas, though not very serious.
Meanwhile, the harvesting goes on, tomatoes ripening by the dozen, lots of runner beans and still some french beans and a few ‘mangetout’ peas.
Ripening tomatoes - these are outside the greenhouse
The area previously for broad beans has been weeded and forked over ready for some planting - I have some lettuce seedlings that need to go in as soon as possible. The old lettuce plants have all pretty much gone to seed, but there are still leaves that can be harvested. The last of the first row of carrots have just been harvested (small but tasty) and some of the old mixed salad leaves and rocket have been composted now. Some new rows are up but not yet ready but there are still some of the older rows producing.
