What's eating my 'cavolo nero' kale?

Cavolo Nero's dark, textured leaves harbour brassica pests year-round. Cabbage white caterpillars eat through leaves from late spring to autumn; cabbage aphids colonise growing tips; and in the UK, pigeons are a severe winter threat when little else is green. Slugs attack young transplants. Club root in waterlogged soil is the worst long-term threat.

Irregular holes across dark leaves; small green caterpillars and yellow-white eggs on undersides; multiple generations from May to October. Insect-proof netting (mesh <0.8 mm) prevents egg-laying. Weekly Bt spray on exposed plants. Check undersides for eggs weekly and pinch off.

Waxy grey colonies mass on growing tips and leaf undersides from summer into autumn, stunting new growth and spreading turnip mosaic virus. Rub off early colonies by hand. Neem oil or insecticidal soap sprays targeting undersides. Strong water jet dislodges colonies without chemicals.

Ragged holes with slime trails on young transplants and on lower leaves close to soil; worst in autumn rains when Cavolo Nero is being planted out. Iron phosphate pellets (wildlife-safe). Beer traps. Copper tape around raised beds. Hand-pick at dusk. Avoid mulching tight against stems.

Strips entire leaves to bare midribs, especially November to March when Cavolo Nero is at its peak eating quality — a severe UK-garden problem. Bird netting over hoops is the only reliable method. Ensure netting sits off leaves so pigeons cannot peck through it.