Have cabbage worms been annoying the crap out of you? Yeah…same…
Recently, there’s been a huge cabbage worm infestation in my mom’s garden, and our entire cabbage and kale patch was affected by it.
In this article, I’ll walk you through all the ways we handled the situation and how her garden is completely pest-free now.
Why Are Cabbage Worms A Problem?
Well, cabbage worms can be a serious problem in the garden. They typically feed on kale, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, and ofcourse cabbage leaves, making plant structures weak and worn out.
Cabbage worm larvae can quickly reduce plant foliage, causing unnecessary stress and havoc in the garden that usually leads to dead crops.
In our case, we happened to have planted cabbage plants so close together that when one got affected, the others went down with it. It was unfortunate but we tried to manage the issue the best we could with my abundant gardening wisdom and experience.
Signs Of Cabbage Worm Infestation
In most cases, signs of cabbage worm infestation in the garden are pretty obvious. You’ll see:
Natural Ways To Prevent Cabbage Worms
4. Companion Planting
The first effective way to prevent cabbage worms is to practice companion planting. Anyone who’s been following my work for some time now will know that I’m a huge fan of companion planting and suggest anyone who’s dealing with pest/insect related issues in the garden to give it a shot.
Plant strong herbs like sage, oregano, or rosemary around your garden, especially near affected vegetable crops. They’ll keep cabbage worms away and make your garden more aromatic.
3. Use Row Covers & Physical Barriers
A physical barrier like a row cover can work very well to block any cabbage worms from coming near your main crops and cabbage butterflies from laying eggs on them. Make sure the covers are sealed from all sides so that no insects get in from underneath.
Using mulch around the base of your kale, cabbage, and lettuce plants can also make it harder for the worms to reach them.
2. Plant Trap Crops
As the term suggests, trap crops are meant to be traps or decoys to direct insects and pests away from your main more important crops. Planting them near affected crops means any cabbage worms that come to eat away at your kale, broccoli, or cabbage will be diverted.
For the trap crops, nasturtiums, marigolds, and sunflowers are some of the best out there.
1. Pesticides
If nothing works out, pesticides are your next best option. They’re effective and can work like a charm to keep cabbage worms as far away from your garden as possible.
Keep in mind, however, that store-bought chemical pesticides can be harsh and have potentially negative effects on beneficial garden insects, weakening the overall garden ecosystem.
Choose a high-quality pesticide and only apply as directed on the label. Using too much can burn plant roots, causing even more stress and damage than what’s already done by the worms.
Long-Term Solutions For Healthy Cabbage
- When watering, try your best to avoid getting the leaves wet as that can attract pests and fungal diseases.
- Use a natural pesticide spray made with neem or peppermint oil if you notice cabbage worms returning.
- Practice crop rotation and avoid planting cabbage in the same garden area every growing season.
- Keep planting more and more beneficial companion plants near your cabbage patch to provide long-term protection.
Conclusion
Whether you’re trying to grow kale, lettuce, broccoli, or cabbage, there’s a high chance you’ll experience cabbage worm issues one day. It’s quite unfortunate but that’s just how gardening is.
When I first noticed cabbage worms wiggling around in my mom’s garden and destroying our cabbage patch, I panicked. But, now I realize the panicking was unnecessary. Take necessary precautions to limit the likelihood of facing an infestation but, if it happens, take strong immediate action to keep the worms from causing further damage.
