Cabbage Worms

[Nandy]

Well, the only 6 cabbage plants that survive my poor gardening atemp are now victims of cabbage worms. Other than hand pick them, what do you guys use?

 

[boatflipper]

Re: Cabbage Worms

I use Spectracide in my garden. It is a very good broad-range insect killer.

 

[4JawChuck]

Re: Cabbage Worms

Put the head into an old nylon stocking and leave on until harvest, worms can't penetrate.

Only thing natural I've tried that works consistently.

 

[SnapperHunter28]

Re: Cabbage Worms

so much for me eating cabbage

 

[Al-53]

Re: Cabbage Worms

If u want to go all natural and no chemicals get some DE powder its a Diatremetrous earth get at a pool supply place or lowes wal mart wet cabbage and dust them with it use on any plants no chemicals works great also the act like tiny spears and when the worm crawls over it it lances the body and they dry out and die..

If u want to use a chemical use sevin it has a life span of seven days and its safe to eat after wht its called sevin haha....

some sprays have a long life span and it gets absorbed in the plant and u eat it why sevin is good gone in 7 days

Al

 

[Nandy]

Re: Cabbage Worms

so much for me eating cabbage

LOL! Commercially grown cabbage is generally treated to avoid this im sure...

Thanks guys, I also heard about Bt (Bacilus thuringiensis). Anyone used this? I need to go to the local store and get something tomorrow. These suckers are surely hungry. I got to harvest the largest head yesterday and it had no damage but the smallest one is kinda messed up and the other ones has small leave hole but not going thru. I will do the nylon stocking after I treat the plants and then on every year... There is a place in this world for those insects, but it is not in MY cabbage! lol!

 

[Av8nBill]

Re: Cabbage Worms

+1 on the Bt. We have been all organic for 20+ years and use that a lot. The other non-toxic option we use is anything with Spinosad in it. With both of these options the worms have to eat a little bit but it shuts down their digestive system and they starve shortly thereafter. So it won't totally eliminate any damage but cuts down on it substantially. Hand picking is actually kind of satisfying in a revenge-full sort of way. Is that wrong? :redface:

 

[j_martin]

Re: Cabbage Worms

+1 on the Bt. We have been all organic for 20+ years and use that a lot. The other non-toxic option we use is anything with Spinosad in it. With both of these options the worms have to eat a little bit but it shuts down their digestive system and they starve shortly thereafter. So it won't totally eliminate any damage but cuts down on it substantially. Hand picking is actually kind of satisfying in a revenge-full sort of way. Is that wrong? :redface:

BT has been effective for a lot of years. It's harmless to anything else, and makes the infected worms sick enough to die.

The BT toxin gene has been spliced into some plants now, (I think corn) and eliminates certain larvae pests. With this kind of abuse, it won't be long till we have super worms and BT is no longer effective. Enjoy it while it lasts.

There are different varieties of BT, effective against different pests. Be sure you have the right one.

hope it helps
john