Hi, what do I use to to deter white cabbage butterfly? Thanks.

Hi Lesley, white cabbage butterfly is hard to deter or control, so it is best to try and minimise the damage to your crop.

• When you see the eggs on the underside of leaves hose them off with water or spray with a suitable insecticide, such as a pyrethrum based spray, your local garden centre will be able to recommend a product.
• Plant brassica early in the season when white cabbage butterfly are not so prevalent. Place a fine insect mesh over your brassicas to keep them out.
• Plant nasturtium flowers as a sacrificial plant, the butterfly will lay its eggs on the nasturtium which can then be pulled out.
• Plant marigolds in between plants, the smell will help deter them.
• You can also plant the poached egg plant (Limnanthes) as the flower looks like a white butterfly so they do not land to lay their eggs.
• Birds eat the caterpillars so encourage insect eating birds to the garden such as fantails, thrush and blackbirds.
• Some gardeners suggest crushing egg shells and placing them around the brassicas, another cuts out butterflies from white ice cream containers and places them around the vegetable garden and believes they are a very good deterrent.

Thanks, Lianne ^Tui Team