Can anyone me how to keep my cabbages free from caterpillars

It's hard to get them off once they have taken a hold. You could try to hand pick them off but it depends how much time you have. There are always sprays but then you don't want to eat cabbages full of chemicals. Could you try introducing some birds? May sound odd but are birds put off because may you have cats? Failing all this I think nature has to be accepted - you can always pull off the munched leaves before dinner.

You could try growing them under a fleece tent next time. Then the cabbage whites cant get at then to lay the eggs. The air & water can still get to the plants thro' the fleece.

The catepilar munching time should be over soon - with the first frosts so continue to pick off as many as you can be hand - put them on the bird table if you have one - "waste not, want not" as the saying goes...

I have just returned after spending 5 days away and the blessed things are making a meal out of just about anything with leaves on - even the geraniums but especially the verbascums - but I haven't had time yet to give the plants a real work over - so I have very lacey looking leaves...