Why is it always the broccoli...I'm in tears again!

[Spongegirl]

Greetings from Kentucky...
Man this is one wet Spring. It has rained every day now for the last week and it isnt quitting until Thursday. Still, I go to look at the garden every day to survey the growth of lettuce, onions, garlic, asparagus, peas, peas, shallots, blueberries, potatoes, peas, and broccoli. Out of all of those things to munch why is the broccoli the only predatory target? Besides the peas, it's the one veggie that I want the most of. It has to be some catepillar. Nothing else in the garden is being eaten on. As bad as I don't want to, I am gonna have to spray something. I had a whole tray of broccoli plants and I am down to just a few. Some of them still have the stems and I see some new growth so I guess that's good, but some of them have the stems completely eaten.
I guess for the next couple of hours I am gonna search the forum for ideas of natural things to spray. I do have some neem oil that I could use but I don't have any experience in using it on veggie plants. Have any of you ever used neem on your plants and how do you apply it? It's so thick.

[SPierce]

Greetings from Kentucky...
Man this is one wet Spring. It has rained every day now for the last week and it isnt quitting until Thursday. Still, I go to look at the garden every day to survey the growth of lettuce, onions, garlic, asparagus, peas, peas, shallots, blueberries, potatoes, peas, and broccoli. Out of all of those things to munch why is the broccoli the only predatory target? Besides the peas, it's the one veggie that I want the most of. It has to be some catepillar. Nothing else in the garden is being eaten on. As bad as I don't want to, I am gonna have to spray something. I had a whole tray of broccoli plants and I am down to just a few. Some of them still have the stems and I see some new growth so I guess that's good, but some of them have the stems completely eaten.
I guess for the next couple of hours I am gonna search the forum for ideas of natural things to spray. I do have some neem oil that I could use but I don't have any experience in using it on veggie plants. Have any of you ever used neem on your plants and how do you apply it? It's so thick.

Aw, I'm sorry your broccolli's are getting eaten! I had similar last year. Do you maybe have any onions you can plant around them to help repel insects? Are they slugs/snails? Try going out at night with a flashlight and see if you can catch anything!

Re: neem oil, there's a wonderful thread over here on it. Maybe it has the application info? http://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/v ... .php?t=925

[Spongegirl]

planted the broccoli in various places around the garden and one particular spot is in a bed of onions; still, no good! There is actually different onions, garlic, and leeks everywhere. I am wondering if it is slugs or snails.
I am also reading the neem thread right now but still haven't found any suggestions on how to apply it. The neem I have is really thick and it seems like it will get clogged in any sprayer. Also, does neem even mix with water? Is diluting it even effective? With all the rain we are having right now, I think it would be best used as it is thick to stay put on the leaves. I am not going to chance it one more day. I am just gonna go out there and attempt to spray with a spray bottly. If it clogs, then I will use a little brush or something. I hate the idea of going out with a flashlight, but I'll do whatever it takes to protect my crops. I need my broccoli. I'll report back.
Do you think it is too late in the season already to start some more from seed?

[garden5]

I'm sorry to hear about your broccoli. Do you have any idea what time it was eaten? If it was at night, it very well could be slugs. Identifying the culprit is necessary before you can put up some type of repellent.

[Spongegirl]

I go to the garden many times a day to check things out. I'm pretty sure it has always been at night. With all this rain we are having, I was thinking it would have been difficult for moths or anything flying to be out there laying eggs. Do you think that sounds right? So is your guess slugs and snails. Do they only attack at night? I did find a snail on the side of an aquarium I have out there. I have never dealt with snails or slugs in the garden before. Will the neem control them? I am still searching for application of the neem. Mine is the thick essential oil kind that needs to be warmed up to even move. I also have some powdered neem that has no smell at all. I wonder what effect it would have if it was put in the soil. Hmmmm.
Thanks for helping, yall! I'm bout to go on a slug hunt!

[gumbo2176]

I find it's usually slugs or snails when new plants get their stems eaten. Snails and slugs sometimes leave their slime trail and it is pretty easy to see if the ground is not getting rained on much.

Like others have said, check at night with a flashlight to see if you can find the offensive little critter=========then enjoy your revenge.

[ruggr10]

Last year, since my veggies are all in raised beds I put table salt all along the top of the beds since the snails and slugs come from my little stream bed. That seemed to work for about 3 weeks before I poured it again.

[Cook in SC]

Try putting out little plates of beer near all the plants. If it is slugs, they will go straight to the beer instead of the brocolli. Then they will drink themselves to death. If it is an insect, try making a garlic/pepper spray. Puree several garlic cloves and hot peppers with some water in the blender. Then strain it and spray the liquid on the leaves. I hope that you can get rid of the pest and get some brocolli. Good luck!

[Spongegirl]

well, I just came from the garden. I just love it out there. Anyways, I didn't find much info here or on the web as far as application goes except "use it". So I got a spray bottle and just put a couple of capfuls of the 100% Neem Essential Oil and filled the bottle with warm water. It ended up being fairly thick and seemed to mix well with water and sprayed just fine without clogging the bottle. I still have about 15 plants and several more stems left. So I guess I am going to have a lot of broccoli. Not a years worth which is what I was hoping for, but I'll try again in the fall. Maybe by that time my BF will have the "green house" built for me and I can grow some into December.
There is a lot of wind today so maybe with some luck the mix will dry a good coat on the plants before the rain starts again.
OOOOOO! What do I see out my window? Could that be sunshine? It's been so long I hardly recognize it. LOL!

Another question...do slugs and snails do the damage at night? in moist conditions? dry conditions? I have alot to learn...thanks everyone!

[orgoveg]

I'm having exactly the same problem. With all the rain, it's useless to put beer cups out. I went out the last couple of nights and collected about 20 slugs. I think the diatomaceous earth works too slowly and the rain just washes it away. I just keep putting more seeds in. It's not too late yet.

You do dilute the neem oil with water. A table spoon mixed with a spray bottle of water is fine. However, I've never used it on seedlings as it blocks some sunlight and clogs their pores.

Edit: It looks like I just missed you by a few minutes. I'd be interested to hear how your seedlings fare with the neem. Sounds like you still have some good sprouts, after all? Great! Good luck.

[applestar]

I've never used neem oil. Is it like other oils and you need to be careful of using it in the sun and heat? I think it's the " clogging pores" effect or maybe the oils intensify the heat (like suntan oil) -- which can damage or kill mature plants? I would think even more care would be needed for seedlings.

Any kind of oil spray can clog breathing holes of insects and kill them. I would be concerned about accidentally spraying beneficials.

Lastly how does neem oil function -- poison on ingestion, repellant, contact? I haven't heard that it would work for slugs, does it? Does it really work as a preventative? Didn't I hear that it smells or tastes terrible? (I've a vague recollection that this is why I haven't tried it)

[Spongegirl]

reading...searching...reading...searching...
whew! so much info and conflicting opinions to go through. Neem doesn't repel slugs and snails and yes it does repel them.
I understand it to repel because of the taste to the bug but maybe not.

I wondered the same thing as far as sunburn goes, yet the thread doesnt speak of the burn from what I've read so far.

I don't know if my plants are still seedlings or not; many have many leaves and are pretty sturdy. I'll still report back.

With all the lettuce that is in my garden, if a snail or slug is the problem, why is the lettuce completely untouched? The only thing being munched is the broccoli. And it is the whole plant being devoured, not just holes in the leaves. And some of them had plastic sleeves made from Figi water bottles around them. Does it still sound like snails and slugs? If it is not raining after dark I am going out with a light for sure.

SLUGS...YUCK!!!!!

[applestar]

One year, mice ate my broccoli starts in the garage. I was upset because I was growing the broccoli for my kids and the $&#% mice didn't touch the cabbage that I was growing for myself.

Outside in my garden, #1 suspect would be rabbits and #2 would be groungHOGs.

[Spongegirl]

ok, someone tell me why on Earth did I not just spray a couple of the plants just to be sure that I was doing the right thing?! After less than what, like 30 minutes, it's not a good report. Some of the leaves are wilted like soggy wilted, not burnt. Some of the leaves are ok but others are done for.

Good grief, why is there no information on actually applying Neem. All I can find is information that members say to use it. I am going to jump to the end of the thread on Neem and see if I can find any bad results. I am also going to type 'do not apply neem to leaves' in the search and see if anything comes up.

[cynthia_h]

"The" thread on neem oil? I just did a Search of the forum and got 753 hits on the phrase "neem oil."

Here are a couple of threads that I know have detailed info in them. They may also have links to other threads here at THG.

http://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/v ... .php?t=925

http://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/v ... p?p=188002

http://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/v ... p?p=154549

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9