Peat question about brassicas

[JoeOH]

I’m in Ohio in the US. I’m a home gardener in my fourth year with a pretty good variety of things I’m growing. I gave up one brassicas last year, never had luck with them. I’ve spent hours picking off cabbage worms, powdered with spinosad, neem oil, and once or twice the first year sevin dust which I stopped using. I’m not sure if the UK has the moths with the black spots that lay eggs all over my cabbage broccoli and Brussels. Does anyone have any suggestions to keep them off. I tried netting twice but they were barely able to get thru.

 

[Exfarmer]

Netting is the only answer, if you do not want to be out with an insecticide every week. The netting must be fine mesh and must not touch the plant as the butterflies will lay eggs through the mesh

 

[renewablejohn]

As said above netting is the way. I use shade netting laid on top of IBC containers chopped in half. Also protects from rabbits deer and birds.

 

[david]

Drench module cell tray plants with Verimark (cyantraniliprole) 15ml per 1000 plants in 0.6 Litres water or Tracer (spinosad) at 12 ml per 1000 plants in 0.6 L water.

Do you have Benevia or Exirel or Minecto One over in Ohio ? If so, these are very good for controlling caterpillars on brassica, when used as a foliar spray.

 

[ollie989898]

I'd sooner never eat cabbage again than have to handle Sevin repeatedly.

 

[JoeOH]

Drench module cell tray plants with Verimark (cyantraniliprole) 15ml per 1000 plants in 0.6 Litres water or Tracer (spinosad) at 12 ml per 1000 plants in 0.6 L water.

Do you have Benevia or Exirel or Minecto One over in Ohio ? If so, these are very good for controlling caterpillars on brassica, when used as a foliar spray.

I’ll have to ask around I’ve never heard of any of those except the spinosad.

 

[JoeOH]

Netting is the only answer, if you do not want to be out with an insecticide every week. The netting must be fine mesh and must not touch the plant as the butterflies will lay eggs through the mesh

That is what I thought. My netting was just slightly too big. It drives me nuts that my neighbors garden half a mile away has no problems with cabbage worms. I’m up against some woods and mine look like Swiss cheese. I’ll try some later this year and some finer mesh. Thanks for all the help.

 

[Exfarmer]

I’ll have to ask around I’ve never heard of any of those except the spinosad.

Gogle is your friend, look for the active then find your local product.
Carbaryl is not very nice to handle

 

[Bogweevil]

Moths - there is only one answer (other than mesh) and that is Bacillus thurengiensis https://ohioearthfood.com/products/thuricide

Biological insecticide - specific to caterpillars. Good stuff and safe to environment and nil residues.

Amazed anyone is so old fashioned enough to use Sevin.

 

[ollie989898]

I'm amazed Sevin is still available for sale anywhere!

 

[Exfarmer]

I'm amazed Sevin is still available for sale anywhere!

You will still find DDT in some places!

 

[ollie989898]

You will still find DDT in some places!

I understood it was used for malaria control purposes, in which case, a bit of OC poisoning is probably preferable to malaria.

 

[Bogweevil]

Interesting that you are asking us 4000 miles away rather than contacting your extension (https://extension.osu.edu/) or master gardener office (https://mastergardener.osu.edu/) - both institutions that are the envy of the UK.

 

[Exfarmer]

I understood it was used for malaria control purposes, in which case, a bit of OC poisoning is probably preferable to malaria.

Nobody died from DDT

 

[JoeOH]

Moths - there is only one answer (other than mesh) and that is Bacillus thurengiensis https://ohioearthfood.com/products/thuricide

Biological insecticide - specific to caterpillars. Good stuff and safe to environment and nil residues.

Amazed anyone is so old fashioned enough to use Sevin.

I have used the bacillus before not sure I did on the brassica if I did prob not weekly