Pests that are eating your cabbage leaves are aphids, spider mites, slugs and snails, worms, squirrels and chipmunks, and deer. Cabbage needs 80 – 180 days to be ready to be harvested. This leaves a lot of time for pests to eat the cabbage leaves.
What can I put on my cabbage to keep the bugs from eating it?
The scent of garlic, peppermint, sage, thyme, and rosemary are all known to drive away butterflies, moths, and other cabbage pests. So, it may be a good idea to plant rows of these herbs on either side of your cabbage. The scents of certain plants ward off cabbage-eating insects.
What is eating the leaves on my cabbage?
Cabbage Worm Damage
Cabbage worms can happily eat away at the bases of cabbage, cauliflower, or the heads of broccoli without being noticed. They feed on foliage, and eventually they can leave plants only with stems and large veins. If left to their own devices, cabbage worms can devour your crops.
What animals eat cabbage leaves?
Some rodents prefer to nibble on vegetables and fruits found in the garden, including cabbage. Rats, mice, squirrels and guinea pigs are all included in this cabbage-loving group.
How do you protect cabbage plants?
8 ORGANIC WAYS TO PREVENT & CONTROL CABBAGE WORMS
- Manual Removal.
- Floating Row Covers.
- Plant Purple & Red Varieties.
- Use Polyculture & Companion Planting.
- Beneficial Insects.
- Decoy Moths.
- Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt) Spray.
- Neem Oil Spray.
How do you keep cabbage leaves from getting holes?
Spraying leaves with BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) will work and is an organic solution. Plant resistant varieties such as red-colored leafy greens, which the cabbage worm tend to avoid. Introduce natural predators of the cabbage worm such as larvae of Trichogramma wasps, which devour the eggs before they hatch.
What is making holes in my cabbage leaves?
What Causes Holes In Cabbage Leaves? If you see holes in the leaves of your cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, or any other plant in the Brassicaceae family, it’s a sure bet that pesky caterpillars are the culprit.
What is eating my cabbage leaves at night?
Slugs and snails can create a lot of damage to cabbage plants. These two pests often go unnoticed because they like to feed late at night and early in the morning, exactly when you are not in the garden.
What can I use to stop bugs from eating my plants?
A great recipe for a homemade bug spray for vegetable plants is to use one tablespoon of dish soap, one cup of vegetable oil, one quart of water, and one cup of rubbing alcohol.
How do you protect cabbage plants from animals?
Hot Pepper Sauce
A homemade hot pepper mixture sprayed on your plants will make them taste bad to potential pests and keep animals out of garden. Mix 1 ounce of hot pepper sauce (the hotter the better), 4 drops of natural dish soap and 1 cup of aromatic leaves from plants that rabbits avoid (such as marigolds).
Will rats eat cabbage plants?
Basic Rat feeding guide
Some examples of suitable fruit and vegetables are: apples, pears, banana, melons, stone fruits, citrus fruits, broccoli, cabbage (not red cabbage), endive, carrots, Bok choy/other Asian greens, celery, parsley, berries, fresh corn (small amount only) and peas.
What is eating my cabbage and broccoli leaves?
The most common are the imported cabbage worm, the cabbage looper, and the diamondback moths. I would like to include a fourth, the cross-striped cabbage worm, because it is particularly problematic for me. These pests are often called “cabbage worms” even though they are actually caterpillars.
How do I stop caterpillars eating my cabbage?
Cover plants with horticultural fleece or fine netting to prevent butterflies reaching the leaves. Check plants regularly and pick off any caterpillars that do make it through. Grow nasturtiums as a sacrificial crop and move eggs and caterpillars from your brassicas to the nasturtium leaves.
How do you protect greens from insects?
One of the most useful methods of preventing pests in your garden is to put a physical barrier between the plant and the insect. Cover pest-susceptible plants with floating row cover, a lightweight, spun-bound fabric that rests on top of the plants or on wire hoops.
Do marigolds deter cabbage moths?
There are several crops that can be planted in your cabbage or broccoli patch to deter pests. Wormwood, thyme, marigolds, tomatoes, tansy and peppermint are all believed to help keep the cabbage worms away.
How do you treat holes in leaves?
Leaf miners burrow twisting tunnels across leaves. For both, treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. Sucking insects poke tiny holes in leaves and draw the juices out of them. Common sucking insects include aphids, squash bugs, and spider mites.
Is it OK to eat greens with bug holes?
Fortunately, there’s good news! Greens with holes in them that were created by feeding insects or slugs should be fine to eat, if you cut away the damaged parts. However, there are times when you do want to avoid produce that has been damaged by the local wildlife.
What to spray on plant leaves to keep bugs away?
Vinegar is a really effective natural bug killer for plants. Dilute it 1:1 with water in a spray bottle and spray it over and under the leaves of affected plants. You can also use it around the house to deter bugs inside; the vinegary smell will quickly dissipate.
Do coffee grounds repel insects?
Insect Repellent
Since coffee grounds are very potent, it’s a perfect repellent to fight off those pests. According to the EPA, coffee grounds are most potent when they are burned. All you need to do is place the coffee grounds in a bowl on a flat surface outside, and burn the grounds like you would incense.
Does cinnamon keep bugs away from plants?
Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon around your plants to keep mosquitoes and other bugs away. They don’t like the strong smell of cinnamon, so you can enjoy your garden (even at night) in peace. Alternatively, you can plant a teabag.
What animal is eating my cabbage plants?
Just like insect pests, there are many animal pests that love to eat cabbage. Chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons, mice, rabbits, and deer are just some of the animals that will give you garden trouble.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.