Net your brassicas

Sprouting broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale and winter cabbage are hardy brassicas that will keep growing over the winter months to give you tasty harvests, even when the weather’s bleak. Although cabbage white caterpillars may not be a problem in winter, hungry birds, especially pigeons, can attack your brassicas, so it’s best to net crops to prevent them being damaged. Stretch a rot-proof polyethylene netting with a 1.5-2cm (½-¾in) wide mesh, such as Veggiemesh or Enviromesh, over your brassicas. Use bamboo poles or hazel sticks to raise it above the plants and seal the edges tightly with bricks or tent pins.