Your comments and tips

26 Jul 12, steven (Australia - temperate climate)

yes i had a similar problem and it mainly seemed to be when it was extra hot weather and thus water is lower because of evaporations .

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11 Nov 11, Dee (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi Barrie From what I understand, cabbages usually bolt to seed due to stress - mainly heat / water stress. The same thing happened to mine

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02 Sep 11, Evan (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

All very nice growing cabbage for the cabbage moth worms to eat! That is my story as reluctant to use chemicals and time consuming removing grubs by hand. How do I keep the pests at bay without chemicals? Would appreciate assistance. Thanks for access to a great website also, although eco-tips for pests would be good too with each plant link.

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01 Oct 12, Linda (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

I tried everything - eggshells,solar powered flapping butterflies, pepper, garlic plants, etc. The caterpillars still ate my brassicas. I've discovered two things that work. You can plant Chinese cabbage to grow over winter when there are no white butterflies about. This works wonderfully well. The other thing is to cover them with a netting tunnel. We made a high tunnel over the whole garden bed this spring and I'm growing cabbages, kale, etc in a place the butterflies can't get into. We made the tunnel with electrical conduit pipes stuck into metal pipes. If it's ground crawling grubs, such as slugs, use coffee grounds around the plants.

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01 Mar 12, Leo (Australia - temperate climate)

Spray some neem oil or a mix of neem and tea tree oils, diluted in water, once a week. It keeps the caterpillars and other insects at bay. Other "organic" options include Dipel (Bacillus Thuringiensis) or Derris dust. I usually stick to neem but use a bit of Dipel occasionally.

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05 Feb 12, Kimmy (Australia - temperate climate)

I bought net covers used to protect food from flies ($2 each at the $2 shop) to cover my young plants. Works a treat! Allos sum and rain in but keep bugs out. Protects from white butterflies, snails & slugs without harming them (which is important to me). Once plants a strong enough against attacks, I remove the cover and pop it over other young transplants. Wouldn't cover veges that need bugs to pollinate of course but works well for all others. Hope that helps.

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19 Sep 11, Daniel (Australia - temperate climate)

Make a spray using molasses. There are varying recipes out there on the net. I can't even remember the quantity I used last time as I still have 5 litres of the stuff ready to be used but it works. Some people use 1TSP molasses to 1 litre water. I added washing up liquid to help it stick. I would prefer not to use washing up liquid next time as then you can use it as often as you like without worrying about harming the plant/soil. In fact using a molasses spray will do nothing but good for your plants. Daniel

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13 Sep 11, Aase (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I was growing cabbage with succes, all I used was a garlic mixed with water spray, and plated mariegold around the vegtble garden, Cabbage was growing in rich organic soil.

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08 Jun 11, arthur (Australia - temperate climate)

Samatha 6th May. Try this for all your greens.First dig the area where your going to plant your cabbage.or seedlings.,cover with dried grass clippings,this is like eggs &.bacon to the insects instead of toast(cabbage} to them.Clear a plate size area then plant your seedlings. Arthur (the mad gardener)

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14 May 11, arthur (Australia - temperate climate)

I read a book by Alex Bristow called How To Bring Up Plants. Why I mention this because plants require air & water.they also discharge unnessary waste back into the soil.t (they go to the loo.) If any one knows anything that takes in air and water with out discharging please Iet me hear from you.(The mad gardener).If you like to hear some more say so.Note Ive been on the earth 81 years & still going strong.Arthur.

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