Reply To: Brassicas

[Brenda]

Sorry to have gone quiet for so long – busy trying to keep up with the garden!
Update on gall midge problem – last year a few plants did’nt recover and died. Red Russian Kale looked dreadful all summer, hardly put on any growth, just ticked over, but in Autumn and again in Spring this year produced good new leaves.
Devonstew’s discovery – eggs laid late May – mid June, very helpful.
I have been late this year with sowing/planting out brassicas, I still have them in a seed bed covered with extra fine enviromesh and that has protected them so far.
Just thinking I must plant them to final spacing and was considering buying lg. qty. of extra fine mesh – but v. expensive for 3 beds 4ft x 16ft, allowing for the eventual height aswell! This time last year I did cover all brassicas with fleece, but this is a windswept site on the Mendip Hills and the fleece was easily damaged. Although more expensve, mesh is obviously stronger and long lasting. I have wider-spaced mesh (which does’nt keep out the midge) which I’ve had for about 12 years- so maybe good value afterall. Keeping them in a seedbed beneath ex. fine mesh during late May/mid June may be the answer.
I take Bluebell’s point – we could end up wanting to cover the whole garden with a cage!
Then there’s my basils – in a polytunnel – which seem to be suffering from a similar problem ……….
better talk about that another time, this email is getting too long .