The leaves of plants reflect their state of he alth. If the leaves of broccoli are eaten, this is a sign of hungry pests and the plant suffers from parasitic influence. Which pests visit broccoli leaves and how can you ward them off?
What is the cause of eaten leaves on broccoli?
Behind eaten leaves on broccoli plants, variousinsects, but alsosnails,birds,BunniesandRabbits. Most often, however, flea beetles, cabbage white caterpillars, cabbage flies or weevils are the cause behind eaten leaves. All of these pests can be repelled with precautionary measures.
To what extent does the flea beetle pose a threat to broccoli?
The flea beetle leavesfeeding damageon the leaves of the broccoli andweakensthereby increasingly weakening theentire plantIt is also known as the cabbage beetle, is very small and black and prefers to attack young plants. If you see holes the size of a pin on the broccoli leaves, this pest, which quickly hops away when in danger, is the likely cause. This pest is also often found on arugula. How to get rid of it:
- Keep soil moist
- Chop soil regularly
- mulching
- pollinate the plants with rock dust
Which caterpillars eat the leaves of broccoli?
The caterpillars of thecabbage white butterflyand theowl butterfly love broccoli leaves and like to eat them bare. The butterflies lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves of the plants. When the caterpillars hatch on broccoli, they eat large holes in the leaves and leave their excrement here and there. Prevention is the best way: from May/June onwards, put a vegetable protection net over the broccoli plants. This prevents the butterflies from laying eggs on the leaves. If an infestation already exists, existing eggs should be stripped off and the caterpillars collected.
How do I recognize and combat the weevil on broccoli?
Another pest that occurs on broccoli and its leaves is the weevil, which isgray-brownin color and up to2 cm gets big. It doesn't like soggy soil, so you can discourage it by watering it regularly. Nematodes are recommended for direct control.
How does the cabbage fly affect broccoli?
It is thewhite maggotsof the cabbage fly that feed not only on the roots of the broccoli, but also on theyoung leaves. The leaves then wilt. To prevent this pest, so-called cabbage collars are recommended.
Which other animals can eat broccoli?
In addition to insects,birds,snails,rabbitsandRabbit Eating broccoli leaves. The best way to keep these animals away is to spread a fine-mesh net over the broccoli plants.
How can broken leaves on broccoli be prevented?
Protect your broccoli plants fromdrought,fertilizefertilize themsufficiently, but not excessively and cover the plants with aprotective net. Alayer of mulch also keeps many pests away.
Tip
Strengthen broccoli to avoid leaf damage
Pests prefer to visit weakened broccoli plants. Therefore, strengthen your pupils by watering, fertilizing and mulching them regularly and sufficiently. Also pay attention to crop rotation.