Vege garden bed: How to get rid of cabbage worm?

If you get some "girl" choy, they might go somewhere else. Jk lol

You need to probably "cover" the bed with hoops and white fabric (I've bought before at Dollarama b4). Might be too late though.

You need to cover with a fine mesh cloth that allows the rain and sun to come through. I bought a 50' roll from Amazon; I think I paid about $50 but that was at least five years ago. Look up "fine mesh garden netting" on Amazon. If you have raised beds, you can attach hoops to the bases and cover with this mesh - make sure to seal it up well so the moths don't get in.

Another option is to spray with bt-k, a natural insecticide - you need to do this weekly for control and you won't see results right away because it's not a contact poison, it stops the caterpillar from digesting food.

When you are hardening off plants in the Spring, protect your brassica crops from these moths so they don't lay eggs on the seedlings. The eggs are yellowish orange and are found on the undersides of the leaves.

JHW wrote: ↑ The fine mesh cloth is often called a "row cover". I used it for the first time this year with bok choy, kale, and Swiss chard, and it made an enormous difference. The plants are far bigger and much healthier. I've probably harvested more leafy greens in the last month than I have in the preceding three years.

It may be too late now, but you could always try giving the plants a thorough spraying with insecticidal soap and then deploy the row covers.

Row cover is different than the stuff I use. Row cover would work but unless you buy a good quality one meant for the nursery/market garden trade, it will break down within a month (i.e. Dollarama). I hesitate to link a product because it isn't sold by Amazon and comes direct from factories in China (and there seems to be many sellers but likely only one company making and distributing it).

Here's one for an example but it's not a recommendation because I didn't buy from them: garden mesh

Check for duties and shipping charges, this one is fulfilled by Amazon and doesn't have them.

JHW wrote: ↑ This is what I bought: https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/ga ... item=XC505

Looks substantially similar to what you've linked to.

Either way -- it has enabled enormous yields in our garden.

Click on my link and look at a closeup picture (3rd pic). Row cover is spun fabric and this woven. It's also more expensive but will last longer.

On a side note, if you want to make a netted enclosure to keep the birds from eating your crops, Lee Valley sells garden netting (1/2" opening) that is perfect. It is a quality product, made in South Korea and is unlike the cheap brittle netting available everywhere else. Garden Netting $68.50 for 12'x29'. The openings are too large to keep out cabbage moths, unfortunately.

kiasu wrote: ↑ They have been eating my boy choy..LOL..damn it..

Any gardeners here to suggest? Any DIY remedy to use or?

I got this "pro" row cover (https://www.johnnyseeds.com/tools-suppl ... -9065.html). It's dual purpose - about 3-4° frost protection and row cover. Works well.

ok..why does the roll cover or mesh work or protect?? i thought those worms or cabbage worms came from the ground or soil? sorry..correct me if i am wrong...

JHW wrote: ↑ The fine mesh cloth is often called a "row cover". I used it for the first time this year with bok choy, kale, and Swiss chard, and it made an enormous difference. The plants are far bigger and much healthier. I've probably harvested more leafy greens in the last month than I have in the preceding three years.

It may be too late now, but you could always try giving the plants a thorough spraying with insecticidal soap and then deploy the row covers.

found one of those youtube DIY...like mix water+soap+baking soda+olive oil...not sure if it works or not...but i am gonna try the mesh next year...

kiasu wrote: ↑ ok..why does the roll cover or mesh work or protect?? i thought those worms or cabbage worms came from the ground or soil? sorry..correct me if i am wrong...

See those white "butterflies" that flit around starting in the Spring time? Those are cabbage moths and they look for brassicas to lay their eggs (they are yellow and will be on the underside of leaf). The eggs hatch and the caterpillars eat the leaves. Make sure there are no eggs on the leaves prior to covering with mesh, which would defeat the purpose.

Those white butterflies you see everywhere are the ones who lay eggs on your bok choy, kale and other cabbage-family plants. Their young are caterpillars which eat the leaves and stems. Then they transform into more white butterflies.

If a material keeps the butterflies from landing on the leaves to lay the eggs, the plants don't get eaten.

While yes a few caterpillars could walk over, that's not the common problem.

Mars2012 wrote: ↑ See those white "butterflies" that flit around starting in the Spring time? Those are cabbage moths and they look for brassicas to lay their eggs (they are yellow and will be on the underside of leaf). The eggs hatch and the caterpillars eat the leaves. Make sure there are no eggs on the leaves prior to covering with mesh, which would defeat the purpose.

BetCrooks wrote: ↑ Those white butterflies you see everywhere are the ones who lay eggs on your bok choy, kale and other cabbage-family plants. Their young are caterpillars which eat the leaves and stems. Then they transform into more white butterflies.

If a material keeps the butterflies from landing on the leaves to lay the eggs, the plants don't get eaten.

While yes a few caterpillars could walk over, that's not the common problem.

understood...i guess too late now...i may give it a try this week for new bok choy and see...thank you...

those cabbage worms dont like tomato plants? cause i notice my tomato plants have no damage...

kiasu wrote: ↑ those cabbage worms dont like tomato plants? cause i notice my tomato plants have no damage...

They only like crops in the brassica family (cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, kahlrabi, boy choy, gai lan, etc...). If you have something eating your tomato plants, it's most likely a tomato hornworm.

Mars2012 wrote: ↑ They only like crops in the brassica family (cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, kahlrabi, boy choy, gai lan, etc...). If you have something eating your tomato plants, it's most likely a tomato hornworm.

good to know...

so anything to prevent hornworm on tomato plants?

kiasu wrote: ↑ good to know...

so anything to prevent hornworm on tomato plants?

No, you just have to watch for damage and if there are any other telltale signs (i.e. their poop on the leaves). Just pick them off and dispose. They give me the heebie jeebies...thank goodness I don't have problems with hornworm in my garden.

bok choy (assuming boy choy is a typo...) are notorious in attracting bugs... maybe to plan them on an elevated planters...

all right..i bought the mesh cover and did a test last 2 weeks on bok choy..and all the leaves were bitten until gone!
i found out there r white color grubs that are chewing them...

does anyone know what kind of white color grubs r those? how to get rid of them?

kiasu wrote: ↑ all right..i bought the mesh cover and did a test last 2 weeks on bok choy..and all the leaves were bitten until gone!
i found out there r white color grubs that are chewing them...

does anyone know what kind of white color grubs r those? how to get rid of them?

You'll probably get better advice if you posted a picture of the pest. Usually it's cabbage worms (caterpillars) eating your bok choy and if the plants weren't protected from the time they were planted in the garden, it's enough time for the moths to lay eggs on the undersides of the leaves. Check to make sure there are no ways they can make their way in under the mesh, they are wily buggers. There is such thing as a cabbage root maggot but it affects the roots.