How to Get Rid of Cabbage Worms From Your Garden [Naturally & Efficiently]

Ugh, cabbage worms! They’re a common foe for any gardener growing broccoli, kale, or other brassica veggies. These little green caterpillars seem to appear overnight, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. But fear not, fellow plant parents! There are ways to keep these munching menaces at bay, both organically and with a little extra muscle.

Before we get into battling these pests, let’s understand them a bit better. Here’s the thing: cabbage worms are actually the immature stage of cabbage moths. Those delicate white butterflies flitting around your garden? They’re the ones laying eggs that hatch into these hungry caterpillars. That’s why it can feel like a never-ending battle – those moths can keep laying eggs all season long!

The good news is, we have options. Whether you’re a die-hard organic gardener or open to using a little extra help, I’m here to share some tips and tricks to keep your cabbage family crops thriving. So, grab your metaphorical gardening gloves, and let’s get ready to banish those cabbage worms!

What Are Cabbage Worms?

Physical Characteristics

Ever noticed those tiny green, inch-long caterpillars chowing down on your precious cabbages? Those, my friends, are cabbage worms – the unwelcome guests of every brassica lover’s garden. They might look cute (in a creepy, crawly way!), but their appetite for destruction is anything but adorable.

But before we declare war, let’s get to know our enemy a little better. Spotting them can be tricky, as these little green guys are masters of camouflage, blending seamlessly with your precious cabbage leaves. Look for a faint yellow stripe running down their back – that’s your telltale sign!

Life Cycle Stages

The key to controlling these cabbage worms lies in understanding their lifecycle. It’s like having a cheat sheet for their next move! Here’s the lowdown:

• Butterflies or Moths? – You might see delicate white butterflies fluttering around your garden. Don’t be fooled by their beauty – they’re the ones laying those tiny eggs that hatch into our green foes.
• Egg-cellent Start (For Them, Not Us!) – Those eggs laid by the butterflies or moths hatch into the villainous stage – the caterpillars. These hungry guys are the ones feasting on your leaves.
• The Pupa Party – After a growth spurt of munching and mayhem, the caterpillars transform into pupae – kind of like a green sleeping bag. This might seem like a break, but don’t be fooled – it’s just a pitstop before the next generation emerges.
• The Return of the Butterflies (and the Cycle Continues) – Finally, the pupae transform back into adult butterflies or moths, ready to lay more eggs and continue the cabbage-eating cycle. This can happen multiple times a season, making it feel like a never-ending battle.

Now that you know the enemy, we can move on to the good stuff – how to kick them out of your garden and keep your brassicas safe!

Common Types of Cabbage Worms

Meet the Trouble Trio: Imported cabbage worm, cabbage looper, and diamondback moth – these are the infamous cabbage worms. They’re like small, green caterpillars, causing a headache for gardens all around. In science, these troublemakers go by the names Artogeia rapae or Pieris rapae, Trichoplusia ni, and Plutella xylostella, respectively.

These pests are real invaders, and their speedy life cycle means they can have multiple generations in just one season.

As the name suggests, these pests have a thing for cabbage and its plant relatives. Brassicas are the family that includes veggies like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, brussels sprouts, bok choy, and kohlrabi.

But these cabbage moths aren’t picky eaters – they’ll also go after flowers that have mustard oil, like nasturtiums, and other members of the Brassicaceae family, such as sweet alyssum. They really don’t discriminate!

Let’s take a closer look at the troublemakers in the cabbage patch.

Imported Cabbage Worm

Meet the elegant 2-inch cabbage white butterfly. The ladies have two black spots on each wing, laying tiny yellow eggs on leaves. These eggs hatch into small green caterpillars (about 1 inch long) that can chow down a lot of your plant’s leaves. Expect to see these critters buzzing around in 2-3 generations each season.

Cabbage Looper

Picture a nocturnal moth with a brown, speckled look – that’s the cabbage looper. Even though it’s only 1.5 inches in size, a female can lay up to 350 eggs on nearby leaves. The eggs are small and creamy white, and the emerging green larvae (1.5 inches long) have thin white stripes on their sides.

Interesting fact: these loopers move without middle legs, kind of like a leafy dance. In colder places, you might spot 2-3 generations, while warmer spots can have 5-7 in a season.

Diamondback Moth

Meet the sneaky 1-inch grayish-brown diamondback moth, often rocking a cream-colored band in a diamond shape on its back. They lay eggs on the underside of leaves, near the veins. The emerging pupae are tiny – only ⅓ of an inch.

The number of generations varies, from 4 to 8 in colder spots and up to 12 in warmer places. These moths are real masters of disguise!

Signs of Cabbage Worm Infestation

Detecting a cabbageworm takeover isn’t as tricky as you might think. Look out for those telltale signs! Holes in the leaves? Check. Dark green droppings, a not-so-pleasant calling card? Check.

If you spot chewed-up leaves and little green gifts left behind, chances are cabbage worms are crashing your garden party. Don’t panic; we’ve got ways to handle this invasion.

10 Ways to Keep Cabbage Worms Away

#1. Crop Rotation

Imagine this: you’ve been growing cabbages in the same spot year after year. Those sneaky cabbage worms know your routine and can plan their mischief accordingly. Now, enter crop rotation – the garden’s way of keeping pests on their toes.

By switching the locations of your cabbage plants, you’re throwing a curveball at the worms. They get disoriented, like a game of hide-and-seek where the hiding spots keep changing. This disrupts their life cycle, making it harder for them to settle in and wreak havoc.

So, when should you shake things up in your cabbage patch? The key is to rotate your crops annually. If you had cabbages in one plot last year, move them to a new spot this year. It’s like giving your garden a fresh start and keeping those pesky cabbage worms guessing. Ideally, try not to plant cabbages or other brassicas in the same spot for at least two to three years. This strategy helps break the cycle and keeps your cabbage patch thriving.

#2. Companion Planting and Garden Allies

When growing cabbage, add onions, dill, or garlic to the mix – it helps keep pests at bay.

In a healthy garden world, keeping the cabbageworm crew in check means less trouble for your plants. The good news? Natural heroes like beetles, spiders, lacewings, and predatory wasps love to feast on these worms.

Birds also fancy a meal of worms, but they sometimes struggle to find them under big leaves. They’re better at catching adult moths and butterflies. If you’ve got chickens or guinea hens, consider them your garden’s little protectors, keeping the cabbage worm population in check.

Encourage these helpful insects by planting companion plants strategically or bring them in by purchasing and releasing them into your garden. Just remember, if you do invite them over, make sure to have their favorite flowers and herbs around to make them feel at home. Otherwise, they might fly off to greener pastures.

Here’s a neat trick: certain fragrant herbs and flowers like thyme, dill, oregano, lavender, marigolds, onions, and garlic seem to scare off cabbage moths. Want to divert adult butterflies and moths away from your main crops? Try using flowers like nasturtiums as a ‘trap crop’ – it’s like a floral distraction strategy.

#3. Protecting Your Veggies with Floating Row Covers

Keep your veggies safe from cabbage pests by using plant covers. Floating row covers are handy tools, especially for leafy brassicas that don’t need pollinators. If pests can’t reach your plants, they can’t munch on them or cause trouble!

These covers work well for individual plants, raised beds, or containers – just make sure you have the right gear. Typically, row covers are held up by hoop structures, often made from DIY materials like PVC piping, supporting insect netting.

In containers, a tomato cage can serve as the support for the netting. No matter the setup, the netting is easy to remove when it’s time for harvesting or tending to your garden.

#4. Colorful Defense: Planting Purple and Red Varieties

Consider adding some vibrant colors to your garden by choosing red and purple cabbage. Interestingly, these colorful varieties seem to attract fewer pests. Many gardeners share their experiences, noting that red cabbage and red kale suffer less damage compared to their green counterparts.

One possible reason is that small green cabbage worms struggle to hide on purple or red plants, giving predators an upper hand in finding and snacking on them. There’s also a hint that anthocyanin, the antioxidant in red and purple veggies, might be mildly toxic to caterpillars.

Hey there, fellow gardeners! Today, let’s talk about the cavalry of the gardening world – the natural predators that can give those pesky cabbage worms a run for their money.

#5. Encouraging Beneficial Insects

Meet the garden’s little warriors: parasitic wasps and ladybugs. These tiny superheroes are like the pest control squad of your dreams. Parasitic wasps may sound intimidating, but they’re your allies, laying their eggs on cabbageworm larvae.

As those eggs hatch, they chow down on the cabbage worm, saving your precious cabbages. Ladybugs, on the other hand, have a gourmet taste for aphids and other pests. By attracting these beneficial insects, you’re building a natural defense system right in your garden.

Planting certain flowers and herbs in and around your cabbage patch acts like a welcome mat for them. Marigolds, dill, and cilantro are like a five-star resort for beneficial insects. They not only attract these tiny warriors but also provide them with food and shelter. It’s a win-win – your garden gets bodyguards, and the insects get a cozy spot to hang out.

#6. Using Nematodes

Nematodes are microscopic worms that feast on the larvae of cabbage worms. It’s like having a ninja squad in your soil, working undercover to keep the pests in check. These tiny warriors don’t harm your plants, only the cabbage worms, making them the perfect biological control agents.

Now, you might be wondering how to recruit these silent warriors. It’s simple – nematodes can be purchased as a soil treatment. Mix them with water and apply them to your soil. The nematodes will do their thing, hunting down cabbage worm larvae and ensuring a pest-free garden. It’s a natural and effective way to keep those cabbage worms at bay.

#7. Decoy Moths: A Tricky Tactic

Here’s a quirky tip: some gardeners believe in decoy moths. Adult cabbage white butterflies, it seems, are territorial and avoid plants where they spot others of their kind. You can try placing dummy white butterflies around your garden beds. It’s worth a shot, but it’s wise to combine this trick with a couple of other strategies for better results.

#8. Hands-On Approach: Removing Cabbage Worms

A great way to deal with those cabbage worms is to pick them off yourself. It’s super effective, especially if you have a small garden. Now, if you’re not a fan of dealing with squiggly pests like me, consider wearing gloves during this process!

To do this well, get close and personal with your plant leaves. Make a habit of checking your plants several times a week, focusing on the undersides of leaves or the back side of kale and other brassica greens.

These sneaky critters love hiding on the undersides of leaves, especially near the newest growth at the leaf center. They’re pros at blending in, cozying up against the leaf stem or big veins.

Squish them with your hands, or if you’re feeling generous, feed them to chickens. Another option is to drop them into a jar of soapy water. While you’re at it, keep an eye out for eggs. If you spot clusters of white or yellow dots, swipe them away with your finger. This way, they’ll be gone before they have a chance to hatch and cause trouble.

#9. Organic BT Spray: A Tough Solution

When the cabbage worm invasion gets out of control, consider using Botanical BT. This is a more robust method, and Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) is a natural bacteria found in the soil. Applying it as a foliar spray on your brassicas coats the leaves and branches.

When the caterpillars munched on them, Bt paralyzed their digestive system, leading to their demise. Look for Bt kurstaki for cabbage worms, and always choose an OMRI-certified product, following the instructions on the package.

#10. Neem Oil: Handle with Care

Neem oil is a versatile tool for organic gardeners, especially when dealing with pests like aphids, whiteflies, hornworms, and cabbage moths. It forms a protective layer on leaves and stems, preventing new cabbage worm eggs from hatching and making the leaves less appetizing.

Be cautious, though, as neem oil can harm beneficial insects. Use it sparingly, especially if you’ve introduced good bugs to your garden, and only when other methods aren’t doing the trick.

Final Thoughts

To tackle pesky cabbage worms, it’s smart to mix up your defenses. Using a variety of methods to manage these critters is your ticket to safeguarding your tasty brassicas this season. Adopting this mix-and-match approach to pest control gives you the best shot at success.

Creating a completely bug-free haven in your garden might be a stretch, but you can definitely make a difference. Keep in mind the aim here is finding harmony in your garden, not turning it into a sterile zone!