Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
kentstar_gw

About to give up on my sprouts!

kentstar
10 years ago

This is my first time trying to grow brussel sprouts and some broccoli.
The seedlings were planted in late March. They did great until the slugs, and especially the cabbage worms started devouring them lately. Now, the leaves are starting to get full of holes. Bummer...

I hate them, I hate them!

Ok had to rant.

Any chance they can still produce?

Comments (16)

  • kathyb912_in (5a/5b, Central IN)
    10 years ago

    I can't answer whether they'll still produce -- how far eaten are they? I'd think they'd be big enough after three months of growth to come back if they aren't too far gone -- but I put down Sluggo around my cabbage, sprouts, and broccoli this spring (actually the Natria brand "Snail & Slug Killer Bait" which is what's available at my local HD) and had really good results. I think I must have gotten them all because I haven't reapplied in several weeks and I haven't had further damage. I keep watching, though, and I'll add more if I start seeing slug damage again.

    BTW, you should start new broccoli seeds now for a fall crop. My spring plants are still producing a few side shoots but they'll be coming out soon to make way for the fall crop, which I'll transplant around August 1.

  • kentstar
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Side shoots? I haven't seen but a one broccoli head on the top of each. Yikes lol. I did and have been putting down Sluggo for the slugs but that doesn't seem to stop the cabbage worms lol! I have been trying to use DE for them but it doesn't work that great and has to be reapplied after rain or watering ( which we've been getting a lot of!) I'll just keep my toes crossed that I get something out of this effort

    btw, my broccoli and brussel sprouts are about 3 ft tall now with huge leaves. I'll try to post a pic in a little while.

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    10 years ago

    Kentstar: BT will take care of the caterpillars. Of course, won't do much good in the rain also.

    Also, I've never been able to get Brussels to form tight sprouts from a spring planting. Plants get big, sprouts form... but they're always loose. I'm trying a late summer/fall planting of them this year. If I don't get tight sprouts, I'm giving up trying. Just started my seeds indoors last week.

    Kevin

  • kentstar
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I would think that with Brussels being a long season crop that I don't have a long enough growing season to try planting seeds now. NE Ohio is too short a growing season.

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    10 years ago

    Yes.. They are quite long on the DTM, but there are varieties that are shorter term. You might just be able to get some seedlings in now if a nursery has some. Not sure when your frost comes but all brassicas hold up to it pretty good IME. Hard freezes, not too sure --- we hardly ever get one.

    So, mature seedlings, short DTM, mulch, and a late fall for you, you should be in business. LOL ;)

    Might want to check with your county extension to see if it's too late and what variety.

    Good luck.

    Kevin

  • kathyb912_in (5a/5b, Central IN)
    10 years ago

    In the Great Lakes area, gardeners typically put out Brussels Sprouts in the spring to grow all summer and harvest after the first frosts in the fall. I don't think we could get away with planting in the late summer and overwintering -- our winters are too severe for that. We typically get frost starting in mid-October and hard freezes straight from Nov-March; very different from SoCal weather. :)

    Kenstar, what variety of broccoli are you growing? I've had really good luck with Packman (hybrid) this year, which produces a main head, then small side shoots for quite some time after (side shoots start growing after you harvest the main head). Friends who recommended it to me were harvesting side shoots into December. They weren't sure it would work for spring planting, but as I said, I'm still getting side shoots in July, which surprised me; 2 of my plants have died off, but the other 3 are still hanging on. Fall seeds were started this week indoors and I'll plant them outside around August 1.

    Luckily, I haven't been too troubled with caterpillars and just hand-pick any I find. But I don't have a huge number of brassicas -- just 5 broccoli, 3 cabbage, 4 brussels sprouts -- so I can keep up with them. I handpicked a bunch of caterpillars in the spring, but haven't seen any lately. I do see white butterflies in my yard, though, so more may be coming! Bt is the standard defense against them, though, if you don't want to handpick.

    This post was edited by kathyb912_IN on Thu, Jul 11, 13 at 15:28

  • fern1knits
    10 years ago

    I was just about to give up on my brussels sprouts as well (we had a massive heat wave after a very cold spring and most of the bottom leaves fell off). Then, just this week, I noticed wee sprouts starting to form along the stalk.

    Crossing fingers!

    Broccoli was a huge disappointment for me this year. I started seeds for all my brassicas in January, transplanted in March, and only JUST harvested rather pitiful broccoli and cabbage heads last week. This is my first year growing brascs, so I hope it will get better with more experience (and know-how!).

  • kentstar
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    All the center leaves are completely chewed off from the buggers! Drats! Holes in all the other leaves too and I see many little green eggs along the stems?

    What is this Bt everyone keeps mentioning and where would you find it? :)

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    10 years ago

    Kentstar: BT is one of the best pesticides at controlling all sorts of leaf chewing caterpillars. Works best when the caterpillars are somewhat young. It is also one of the least harmful to the environment... AND to beneficial insects because the only things it targets is caterpillars -- they must chew the leaves to be poisoned. The active ingredient is a bacteria.

    Available ANYWHERE there's a garden center. Thuricide, Dipel, Safer brand Caterpillar Killer are some of the brand names. Just ask for BT K variant.

    Good Stuff.

    Kevin

  • tdscpa
    10 years ago

    They might produce, but do you want to eat them, knowing they are full of cabbage looper poop?

  • kentstar
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    This might be a stupid question but... If I were to shovel prune the sprouts can I put them in my compost pile? Or would it be a bad idea because of the eggs and caterpillars on them?

    Thanks
    kentstar

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    10 years ago

    Do you do a HOT compost? If so, no problem.

    Kevin

  • kentstar
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    No, it's cold composting mostly. I did make compost this spring with horse manure and my autumn leaves but now it's probably not hot anymore ;) I guess not then. Bummer I really hate just tossing such good greens lol!

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    10 years ago

    kentstar: not necessarily. I'm just saying that HOT would be no problem. I have no idea what their survival rate is in a COLD pile? Being in a big pile, I would imagine that it's sort of togh for them to fight their way out to the surface. Try the compost forum... I'd be interested also.

    Kevin

  • kathyb912_in (5a/5b, Central IN)
    10 years ago

    How about pouring a kettle of boiling water over the stalks after you pull them out? I'd think that would neutralize any pests and help speed decomposition at the same time. Then you wouldn't have to waste the greens because of the eggs.

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    10 years ago

    That's not a bad idea kathy. Fill a 5 gal bucket up with boiling water and dunk the whole plant in it for a few minutes.

    Kevin