What’s eating my broccoli?

gtcstvr · July 2020

Today we’ve noticed that we have holes in our broccoli heads. Something is eating them but does anyone know what and how to stop it? See pics

Dovefromabove · July 2020

I wonder if there's a caterpillar lurking down in the centre of the head. Have you harvested any? I think I'd pick one and see what's going on inside.

gtcstvr · July 2020

Dovefromabove said:

I wonder if there's a caterpillar lurking down in the centre of the head. Have you harvested any? I think I'd pick one and see what's going on inside.

We have found a number of small caterpillars on the leaves but not on the head and they have been approx 7mm long but thought they only ate the leaves?

Any idea what we can do to control it? We don’t like using chemicals unless absolutely necessary

Dovefromabove · July 2020

I agree, I would never suggest using chemicals, especially on a food plant.

If there's a caterpillar lurking the only way of stopping it is to pick the crop and soak in lightly salted water. The one in the photo looks ready to harvest now ... I'd be eating that for Sunday lunch tomorrow. They tend not to 'hold' too long on the plant so possibly to prevent more damage you could pick them all and freeze the ones you don't use immediately?

gtcstvr · July 2020

Dovefromabove said:

I agree, I would never suggest using chemicals, especially on a food plant.

If there's a caterpillar lurking the only way of stopping it is to pick the crop and soak in lightly salted water. The one in the photo looks ready to harvest now ... I'd be eating that for Sunday lunch tomorrow. They tend not to 'hold' too long on the plant so possibly to prevent more damage you could pick them all and freeze the ones you don't use immediately?

Thanks for your help. Some are much smaller but maybe we will pick the largest and see how we get on

What’s eating my broccoli?

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