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5 Effective Techniques for Managing Cabbage Worm Infestation in Organic Farming

Organic Approaches to Eradicate or Deter Cabbage Worms Troubling Your Cabbage, Broccoli, Kale, and Similar Produce: Explore 5 Techniques

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Strategies to Eliminate or Control the Cabbage Worm Damage on Cabbage, Broccoli, Kale, and Other...
Strategies to Eliminate or Control the Cabbage Worm Damage on Cabbage, Broccoli, Kale, and Other Crops: Explore 5 Techniques

5 Effective Techniques for Managing Cabbage Worm Infestation in Organic Farming

Getting Rid of the Nasty Cabbage Worms: A Guide for Garden Enthusiasts

Looking for a way to save your beloved cole crops from those pesky cabbage worms? Here's a straightforward guide on how to deal with these garden pests organically.

Identifying Cabbage Worm Damage

除了注意你的玉米、 броколи、 塔罗花的吃掉的叶子，你也很可能会发现匀称的小但危险的虫子 attacking your brassica family plants, such as kale, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, collard greens, turnip greens, leafy greens, and even radishes.

This damage is pretty easy to spot— you'll likely first see holes on your cabbage or broccoli leaves or leaves that look skeletonized. Sometimes the worms will eat the bottom layers of the leaf and leave a thin top layer that resembles stained glass. In addition to leaf damage, you may encounter dark green frass (their droppings). If the worms are small and inconspicuous, this frass may be the first clue to an infestation.

Preventing Cabbage Worms

Block those pests from laying their eggs on your plants by covering them with a floating row cover. This barrier is a highly effective way to prevent cabbage worm infestation, allowing light and water to reach the plants yet blocking the moths from laying eggs on them.

Killing Cabbage Worms: Handpick

If you've got a cabbage worm problem already, try handpicking the worms and crushing their eggs you see every day, especially during late spring and early fall. Be sure to look for the yellow eggs attached underneath the leaves too.

Organic Pesticides

While I advocate for less invasive methods to control any garden pest, you may need something more aggressive to save your precious broccoli and cabbage at times. Here are some organic options:

  1. Bacterial Thuringiensis var. Kurstaki (BT): Likely the most effective organic pesticide to kill cabbage worms. This kills the worms when they eat the leaf. Reapply weekly after rain.
  2. Spinosad: Another pesticide option, but be cautious as it is not very friendly to beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewings, and praying mantises. Save this option for a last resort.
  3. Cornmeal or Rye Flour: While this might sound like an old wives' tale, rubbing cornmeal or rye flour on the leaves can help deter pests. Regular reapplication will be required after rain.

Companion Planting

For a comprehensive discussion on companion planting for pest control, read more about that here.

Some proposed ideas include:- Using mustard as a trap crop to divert cabbage worms away from your brassicas – the pests will gather on the mustard, leaving your main crops unharmed[2].- Planting red leaf cabbages or tighter heads of cabbages, as the worms seem to dislike these varieties.

Cabbage Worm Predators

  • Encourage natural predators like paper wasps, yellow jacket wasps, and tachinid flies, which enjoy dining on cabbage worms. To attract these beneficial insects, you could build bottomless bird houses and hang them as nesting places.

Conclusion

Cabbage worms might always be an issue in your garden, but implementing these organic prevention and control methods should result in healthier, bug-free brassicas from your garden. To avoid making common newbie gardening mistakes, download our free guide and stay updated on garden resources relevant to you.

Resources:

Practice Organic Cabbage Worm Control for a Chemical-Free Garden

Cabbage Worm Control

How to Identify and Get Rid of Cabbage Worms

The Tachinid Fly: A Parasitic Fly with Pest Control Potential

[1] (https://extension.umn.edu/crops/home-garden/articles/selecting-companion-plants-for-vegetables.html)

[2] (https://extension.umn.edu/crops/home-garden/article/using-mustard-as-a-trap-crop-for-cabbage-worms/)

[3] (https://extension.umn.edu/crops/home-garden/article/growing-mustard-for-flowers/)

[4] (https://extension.umn.edu/crops/home-garden/articles/crop-rotation-for-vegetables.html)

[5] (https://extension.umn.edu/crops/home-garden/articles/row-covers-to-protect-vegetable-garden-plants/)

  1. In the pursuit of maintaining a healthier garden lifestyle, consider adopting organic gardening practices for better control of pests like cabbage worms.
  2. To further enhance your green thumb, explore garden printables, podcasts, and user-friendly resources available in the home-and-garden category.
  3. Companion planting can be a great addition to your organic gardening strategy, as it helps deter pests while promoting a harmonious garden ecosystem.
  4. Don't forget to incorporate organic pest control methods into your gardening routine when cabbage worms threaten your brassica family plants.
  5. Embrace the concept of lifestyle choices that align with your gardening passion, and make an effort to create a pest-free haven for your cole crops by applying organic and sustainable techniques.

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