kale problem

[mrkep]

I had a beautiful row of kale until this week, now there are holes in all the leaves and little black somethings all over them. There have been a lot of small, white butterflies around the plants. So I'm thinking maybe the black things are larvae that are eating the leaves? Reminds me of the damage that happens to broccoli & cauliflower, only the pest is blackinstead of green. Should I try treating with BT next year? I'm afraid this crop will be chicken food & compost. Any insight & advice will be appreciated.
mrkep

 

[Ridgerunner]

Are those black things caterpillar poop?

The cabbage moth butterfly is white with two round gray-brown spots on each wing. You can look up images for the butterfly and the larva a well as I can. They love kale as well as cabbage.

Some claim success with BT on them. I tried it earlier this year with very limited success, but it was actually raining occasionally then. I think it may have washed off and I didnt reapply it often enough.

I dont know how much time you have left in your growing season but I have had some success by cutting every leaf off the kale and feeding that to the chickens to remove all the caterpillars, then treating the stubs that were left. They fairly quickly send out new leaves which can be edible. But dont wait too long to harvest them. It doesnt take too long for those larva to roar back in big numbers.

 

[digitS']

Yes, the butterfly larva are caterpillars.

If the holes are caused by flea beetles and those are the "little black somethings" - you can kill both or 1 or the other.

Spinosad should do that.

Steve

 

[mrkep]

Thanks guys, after close examination, the black stuff is worm poop. I found the catapi;;ars & the butterflys have the spot on the wings.I will try cutting back the affected leaves, if I can find some BT.

 

[catjac1975]

What's wrong with eating a few holes?
Cut them back if you have plenty, BT them, but why not wash the leaves, soak them in salt water, and eat them anyway?

 

[catjac1975]

What's wrong with eating a few holes?
Cut them back if you have plenty, BT them, but why not wash the leaves, soak them in salt water, and eat them anyway?