DIY Network

Cabbage Worm Control Cabbage Worm Control From "Fresh from the Garden" episode DFFG-115

Don't let your tasty veggie crop fall victim to cabbage worms -- protect them with these simple treatments....

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	The eggs hatch into green leaf-eating caterpillars that grow up to 2 inches long.
	You should apply BT in liquid form to all parts of the leaves, especially the undersides. Be sure to repeat the application after a rain.
	A really good natural repellent is hot pepper spray. You can make the spray by chopping or grinding hot peppers into fine particles.

• From cabbage to Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and kale, all of these cole vegetables are susceptible to the same pests -- namely the cabbage worm! This pesky worm makes it appearance in early spring when the cabbage white butterfly lays small yellow eggs on the leaf undersides of cabbage family crops. The eggs hatch into green leaf-eating caterpillars that grow up to 2 inches long. Although cabbage worms are most prevalent in late spring, they can cause damage in late summer.

• The easiest way to rid your cole crops of cabbage worms is by handpicking the bugs from the leaves. If cabbage worms have become too numerous to hand pick, treat the plants with an insecticide that contains Bacilulus thuringiensis, called BT, a naturally occurring bacteria that is harmless to humans but can destroy the insects.

• You should apply BT in liquid form to all parts of the leaves, especially the undersides. Be sure to repeat the application after a rain. Apply the BT to the affected plants at 3 to 14 day intervals until the pest is removed. It takes about 5 to 6 days to eliminate the worms.

• A really good natural repellent is hot pepper spray. You can make the spray by chopping or grinding hot peppers into fine particles. You then mix 1/2 cup of the grounded peppers with 1 pint of water and then strain out the particles to form a clear solution. You should spray the plants twice, 2 or 3 days apart. Just make sure the spray makes contact with the cabbageworm.

• Another good natural method for controlling all sorts of pests, including the cabbage worm, is insecticidal soap. The soap is a mixture of salts and fatty acids derived from plants. It is harmless to plants and works by drying up the pest causing it to die. You can apply the spray in the early morning or late afternoon, or on a cloudy day, while it's still cool, to reduce the risk of any possible damage to the plants and to minimize evaporation.