Your comments and tips

18 Sep 09, Annalisa (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Okay, my wombok, Chinese Cabbage, bolted (went to flower)... but it says to plant all-year round? I'm in suburb Brisbane. It's only Sept. not even HOT yet? Everything else says it needs to be cooler or it WILL bolt. What should I do? Should I plant more (planning on it, trying to feed a family of 4 with monthly planting) or will they just go to flower during summer? Would planting another type of cabbage do the trick? *sigh* I love Wombok, buying 1/2 head a week, and was so excited for my first harvest, but now what?

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08 Aug 09, Neil (Australia - temperate climate)

Regards the eggshells. One of the sexes of the cabbage white butterfly (I presume males) lays on the ground with its wings outstreached to attract a mate. The females intendig to lay eggs have already mated and appear repulsed at the thought of more sex and often fly off. So, expect the best results if you arrange the egg shells to look like the butterflys laying on the ground with their wings outstreached.

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08 Aug 09, stan (Australia - temperate climate)

have bugs in heart of cabbage,any tips to get rid of them

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31 Jul 09, David (Australia - temperate climate)

Meryl, the trick is to not get caterpillars to begin with. Pick off those you have then netting or large pieces of egg shell (white side up works better) on and around the leaves. When to pick depends on the type. If it is a hearting variety then when you have a firm/solid centre. Some of the "spring" varieties these days look like big leafy lettuce.

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30 Jul 09, Meryl Travers (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

How do I know when to pick my cabbages please? I have little holes in the leaves, and I guess they are caterpillars of some kind. What is a good organic spray I can get rid of these little creatures with? Thank you. Meryl

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04 Jul 09, Karina (Australia - temperate climate)

A little tip for the snails/slugs. They absolutely LOVE beer! Place some of the fine ale in a few shallow receptacles and position these in different areas on the ground throughout your vege patch. They crawl into the beer and die a happy death. Replace the beer every few days.

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31 May 09, David (Australia - temperate climate)

Dawn: It is Slug / Snail hatching time (at least in Sydney). Have you tried looking at about 8pm? Millions of the little critters here munching happily through EVERYTHING I have planted.

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30 May 09, Louisa (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

i have planted chinese cabbage from seedlings. it seems that one by one they are dying off. i think there is a pest, a webby sort of stuff over the dying plants. if i rip out the effected plant the pest seems to move on to the next one. i haven't seen any actual organism, so unsure what it is. any ideas? i am just leaving the affected cabbages there now, as it doesn't seem to spread to the others if i do this.

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04 May 09, Dawn (Australia - temperate climate)

I was so excited to use the egg shells and get rid of the green catapillar. Now, welcome the grey aphid! After much research I have found that native Aust. ladybirds and lacewings do the trick. After even MORE research I've found where to buy them: (I cannot post a web link) bugs for bugs (dot com, dot au)

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19 Apr 09, Dette (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

To Sandra. You can prevent white cabbage fly and others by planting Thyme and other herbs amongst your cabbages. The bugs hate it and the cabbages love it.

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