What's eating my kale?

Kale is a brassica, so cabbage white caterpillars and cabbage loopers top the threat list — they can strip plants to bare stalks within days. Aphids, especially the grey-green cabbage aphid, colonise heavily in summer. Cabbage root fly damages roots. Pigeons and rabbits are serious vertebrate pests in UK gardens. Row cover is essential.

Large ragged holes in leaves; pale yellow-green or black-dotted caterpillars present; plants can be defoliated quickly Check undersides for yellow egg clusters and remove; hand-pick caterpillars; apply Bt spray (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki); use fine insect-proof mesh as a barrier

Dense grey-green mealy colonies on leaves and stems; severe curling, yellowing, and growth check Blast with water; spray insecticidal soap thoroughly on colony; introduce parasitic wasps; avoid excess nitrogen fertiliser that produces lush, aphid-attracting growth

Plants wilt and turn blue-green despite watering; white maggots eat roots and crown just below soil Fit brassica collars (10–15 cm discs of card or rubber) around each stem at transplanting to block egg-laying; cover with mesh; avoid planting next to last year's brassica bed

Leaves stripped to midribs ('picked clean'); seedlings uprooted; damage worst in winter when other food is scarce Cover with netting or insect-proof mesh supported on hoops; use bird-scaring tape as a temporary deterrent; netting is the only reliably effective long-term solution