[northfifeduckling]

I found that most of the Brussels had been eaten by half, all the way up the stem! I had them covered in netting up to today, so it can't be pigeons or cabbage whites. Could it be mice? Can I rescue the rest?

[OhLaLa]

Could be bunny wabbits?

[northfifeduckling]

oh dear, quite possible 

[OhLaLa]

Ah. Wabbits love greens!

If the sprouts are big enough I'd get them up and pop them in the freezer. We've had a frost now so they will taste good (always better after a frost).

Best wishes.

[RUSTYME]

something I have wondered about but never tried or tested.....If sprouts taste better after a frost , ( some say they are inedible without a frost !!! but I have never tried them without !! ) , then wouldn't popping them in the freezer be more or less the same thing as a frost ?,  even if they are picked before a frost hits them ... or am I being my usual dense , thicko ,  brain dead ...div like self ? 
Is it a chemical reaction from the roots up , that causes the taste to change due to frost action ? I dunno !!!

cheers

Russ
 

[northfifeduckling]

works with Kale for me, Russ. Sadly I don't have any this year 

[Sylvia]

Even better! Put the bunnies in the freezer with the brussels, they'll go well together

[northfifeduckling]

 

[Anke]

Mice and voles will eat it -and they are quite safe from owls during the night under your mesh! same problems here...

[little blue]

found some ****** ******* catapillars STILL on my brussels the other day!  doesn't the frost damage them??!!

[northfifeduckling]

I don't think it is bunnies although I've seen some - the other cabbages are absolutely fine, it's only the Brussels. Must be something that takes particular fancy to them! Maybe I have an even closer look if I get a chill free minute out there! 

[OhLaLa]

Get one of those garden/plant watch cameras added onto your christmas pressie list, they record in time lapse so you can leave it running overnight and watch what has been happening in your garden the next day.

 

[Blonde]

found some ****** ******* catapillars STILL on my brussels the other day!  doesn't the frost damage them??!!

No frost does not damage brussel sprouts but makes hem swet to eat when ripe.   But caterpillars area a mence and will eat right through a brussel sprout leaving a hole in them.   The best idea is to use an organice spray  such as soap flakes and water and spray on to the plant.  or use cup of molasses in to one lite of wte and spray it over new foliage to stop caterpillars

[little blue]

  I meant the caterpillars!!
why have they survived the frost?!

my brussels have now blown, but still taste lovely.  arent they just a great plant, really!!
I have to think of them as just small cabbages though, as a brussels-hater of long standing! (til I grew my own!)

[northfifeduckling]

anyone uses the Brussels' heads? Never tried them, they look a bit tough. More like bird food but I might be wrong