Brassica

It's a good sign when the commercial producers

up on the mountain, where it gets very cold, plant their 

paddocks with another lot of brassica seedlings.

It makes this gardener hopeful.

In the distance you can see an older crop.

I wish I had seen the tractor planting these.

However, I do wonder about the amount of derris dust, 

or other insecticide the farmer will need 

to keep these babies pristine.

My own brassicas (second sowing) are doing just fine.

What a cute little cauliflower!

Regular readers will know that I protect my brassica

from the dreaded white butterfly

(and its voracious green caterpillar)

by throwing a net over the garden.

 This one is one of those decorative mosquito nets

for hanging over a bed.  

I picked it up at the tip shop for $2.  

Fine net curtaining does just as well.  

Although, I did have to de-caterpillar these plants...once.

I bought them as seedlings and 

they came complete with complimentary butterfly eggs.

Like all leafy vegetables, brassicas grow fast 

and are hungry devils.  

So make sure you prepare the bed well with

compost/well rotted manure/blood and bone.

They also like a bit of lime worked in.

Keep up the seaweed extract or fish emulsion

while they are growing.