cabbage caterpillars

[the1honeycomb]

Ive been using dawn and pepper mix to try to keep my cabbage safe nothing is working Any suggestions? ? Down to 3 plants

 

[catjac1975]

Are they being cut off at the stem? Bugs or bunnies?

 

[so lucky]

what does the damage look like?

 

[digitS']

For the caterpillars, I've successfully used Bacillus thuringiensis, Thuricide, or similar.

Spinosad is supposed to work. It does for the beetles but I have not used it for caterpillars.

They are tuff because they are inside the cabbage leaves. Aphids in those leaves are almost impossible for me to deal with. Make me not want to grow cabbage after some years!

Steve

 

[annageckos]

Do you mean the caterpillars from the cabbage white? I have had them decimate my garden in the past. I use BT for them and didn't have any more problems. It works great. This may sound odd but I've also used corn starch. I don't remember where I read about that but it does work very well. The downside is that you have to apply it every day and after rain/watering.

 

[bills]

Cornstarch? That's a new one on me. Certainly organic enough.
Plus it would be handy if using the cabbage in a stir fry..lol

I have always used the hand picking method for cabbage-pillars. Not for head cabbage mind you, but broccoli, gai-lan, collards, etc. Sometimes they can be a real challenge to find..

 

[the1honeycomb]

I guess my post was very vague. I have caterpillars from the white moths. I tried to hand pick them off and thanked the birds that try to help however, they grow too quick for me! I spent days out there picking and go out the next day and More!!! The local farmer down the street gave me a spray bottle of mixed Neem oil says it is organic and that is what he uses so here is a prayer and I will keep the rest of the suggestions in mind! like the cornstarch but how do you put it under the leaves?
Thanks again

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've seen a whole lot of those white with the two spots cabbage moth butterflies this year, more than normal. I've killed a bunch of those butterflies but I sure can't get them all. I bet if I went out right now I'd see two or three hovering around. I think they live and breed on some of the weeds around here so there is always a steady new supply.

Once they get inside I don't know anything that can get to them. I try to time it so I spray when the head just starts to form to stop them form getting inside. I've used Sevin in the past but am using Spinosad this year. We'll see how it goes. The label says it works on caterpillars. I've had some years I was really good on the timing, other years not so much. They hit my broccoli real hard too.

Editted to add: When I went out there were two flying around. When they saw me they got together and started a mating dance, flying about 20 to 30 feet up in the air and heading off to the north. I'm sure that now-fertile female has already turned around and come back.

 

[annageckos]

I used a can for powered sugar and would sprinkle the cornstarch on, it looks like an over sized salt shaker. I would kinda throw the cornstarch up onto the lower sides of the leaves. I too had tried hand picking them, I couldn't find them all they blend too well. Plus bending down irritates my back as I have back problems. I was also chasing the moths(butterflies?) with a butterfly net, I would feed them to my bearded dragon, he loves them. I can't imagine what the neighbors thought, seeing me running around chasing butterflies swinging the net around wildly while cursing them.

 

[baymule]

I grow cabbage in the winter.