The broccoli leaves are getting eaten by something... I'm not sure what. We've been spraying organic insecticide but the bugs continue to come. I've read that aphids and caterpillers love to eat broccoli leaves, and that a good way to get rid of them is sprinkling cayenne pepper powder on top. I may try that, if I see more holes in the plant.
I am wondering if my moisture problem in the beds are not good for the broccoli. They do like well-drained soil. The soil mixture in the beds retains moisture very, very well. Hmm...
It might be too warm for broccoli... I guess we'll see how it does.
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I don't know if you have slugs, but they love my broccoli. I'm growing it under a row cover (which only seems to help with the caterpillars). Sadly my broccoli isn't doing that well either. I planted three. One was killed by root maggots, one is being eaten by slugs. Hopefully the other will give me something.
Good luck with your broccoli. I love the stuff but can't grow it here.
It is hard when we don't have so much room. Maybe you'll still get some, give it some time.
My experience at growing broccoli was okay but I'm not growing it this year. It doesn't like hot weather and the slugs kept eating at it until I got that under control.
Ya, I never had good luck with broccoli, if I weren't battling the slugs, I had cabbage worms and if I defeated them, the broccoli would bolt on me. I gave up. Good luck with yours, seems every bug, slug or creepy crawly loves the stuff.
Uh Oh, last year, our broccoli was immediately infested by white cabbage butterflies. We tried picking them off, although when they are small, it's really tough to see them. I had no luck, except for harvesting a bumper crop of pretty white butterflies :) Let us know how the pepper does!
I've never grown Broccoli before either. Hang in there, you may have time before summer gets here. I realized now that I'm definitely building at least two more raised boxes this fall. More room, more food! ;)
Some vegetables are very hard to grow without using poisons so I just skip those. Good luck with it, when you get a stretch of dry, sunny weather it might perk up. If it's slugs you could try cutting both ends out of a large can and slipping it over the plant. Slugs probably won't climb over the metal walls of a can.
Marnie
Hi Daphne, I don't think they are slugs but maybe caterpillars. I'm spraying organic insecticide soap on it, and hopefully that will help.
Hi Lola, Thanks! I hope they survive and grow big and strong!
Hi Tina, We have just build two more boxes, so I think i'll be transplanting the broccoli over there. TO give it more room!
Hi Susie- Yuck to the slugs. Maybe I will plant some herb that will keep slugs away. It's May, but the weather feels like it's April. It's a big chilly here, not quite summer weather!
Hi Dawn, Yikes! Thanks for letting me know. I'll keep my eyes out for all those bugs.
Hi Carole, I don't think we'll be growing peppers in the garden this year. We may though. Not bell peppers but maybe jaleponos or other hot peppers.
Hi Racquel, I'm building more boxes too. I love fresh food from the garden!
Hi Marnie- Great tip about the can! I know, I hate poisons, so I try to go with organic pesticides, when possible!
Hi DP, broccoli is something I don't even attempt to grow, it is attacked by so many pests. The same with brussels sprouts, which I love. The cabbage moth/butterfly will lay eggs and the leaves will be lace very quickly. I don't want to spray so I just don't grow it. Sad.
Frances
If you have cabbage butterfly larve on your broccoli you can spray with Bt. It is organic and completely safe. If you have seen any little white butterflies around that is what you have eating them.
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