Sasha CampbellCabbage worms can quietly destroy your vegetable garden before you even notice them.
These small green caterpillars chew through cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and other leafy crops. They leave behind large holes and damaged leaves, which can ruin your entire harvest.
The good news is you don’t need harsh chemicals to stop them. In this guide, you’ll learn simple, natural, and proven ways to get rid of cabbage worms fast.
You’ll discover methods like row covers, homemade sprays, beneficial insects, and effective organic treatments that really work in real gardens. Plus, you’ll find tips to prevent them from coming back.
Identification
The imported cabbage worm (Pieris rapae) is the larva or caterpillar of a white butterfly (Lepidoptera) [1].
Some gardeners find these butterflies particularly delightful. However, they are not so welcome in vegetable gardens.
They may not cause much trouble. However, their larval stage can be highly destructive, creating numerous holes in cabbage leaves and other vegetables.
The larvae, or cabbage worms, are small, velvety green larvae with a few faint yellow stripes. You may also notice small dark green droppings nearby.
How to Get Rid of Cabbage Worms Naturally
Below are some of the best home remedies and organic solutions for getting rid of pests on cabbage plants.
1. Poultry
One way to help control cabbage worms and other caterpillar pests, such as cabbage loopers, is to let your chickens roam the garden.
These birds naturally enjoy picking off and eating caterpillars and larvae.
2. Floating Row Covers
Another organic method for keeping away cabbage worms is to use row covers. These covers protect cabbage plants from adult moths and other insect pests.
Row covers also protect young plants from frost, wind, and pets. However, they allow light, air, and water to filter through.
Fix the covers over raised beds or single rows of vegetables. Remove them when the plants are strong enough and more pest-resistant.
3. Soap and Water
Create a homemade cabbage worm spray using liquid soap and water to repel these critters. Some people use Dawn dish soap, but we recommend organic soap for your vegetable garden.
Combine 1 to 2 tablespoons of liquid soap with one gallon of water to create a spray solution. You can also add a few drops of eucalyptus, tea tree, or rosemary essential oils, but reduce the soap to one tablespoon.
If you don’t have essential oils, add one cup of vinegar instead. Vinegar will not kill cabbage worms, but it will help repel them.
Spray this DIY soapy water solution on and around the plants.
4. Beneficial Insects
Several beneficial insects naturally help control cabbage worms. This is one of the most effective natural ways to manage garden pests.
- Green lacewings and damsel bugs are other natural predators of cabbage worms.
- Trichogramma and braconid wasps lay their eggs inside the caterpillars. The wasp larvae hatch out, feed on the caterpillar, and destroy the host from the inside.
Planting attractive flowers like marigolds may also attract beneficial insects.
5. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)
Bacillus thuringiensis can eliminate cabbage moth caterpillars. It will also go after the caterpillars of other moths and butterflies.
Purchase BT spray for cabbage worms from reputable online stores or your local gardening center. Then use this cabbage worm killer according to the package instructions.
6. Neem Oil Spray
Neem oil works best as a preventive treatment and may reduce feeding and egg-laying by adult butterflies.
To use neem oil for cabbage worms, combine one tablespoon each of mild liquid soap and neem oil with a gallon of water.
Next, pour the solution into a spray container to spray your plants. Use it as a homemade spray for cabbage white butterflies before they become a problem.
7. Cornmeal
Some gardeners report that cornmeal helps reduce caterpillar damage. However, scientific evidence for this method is limited.
To give it a try, dampen the plant leaves with water and dust them with cornmeal.
8. Manual Removal
A cost-effective way to control these harmful crop pests is to remove and dispose of their eggs and caterpillars.
Pick or rub off the cabbage worm eggs and squish them. You can also feed the caterpillars to birds or chickens.
9. Sticky Traps
While the white butterflies are attractive, they may be laying eggs on nearby plants if they are fluttering about in the vegetable patch.
Sticky traps can catch cabbage moths. However, be careful, as they may also trap helpful pollinators.
10. Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
This product is often used as an organic pesticide. To use diatomaceous earth for cabbage worms, puff it directly onto the critters and on and around your plants.
DE powder damages and dehydrates these soft-bodied pests, eventually leading to death.
You can also make a diatomaceous earth spray by mixing half a cup of food-grade DE with a gallon of water. A DE spray can help coat plant surfaces, but the product is most effective after it dries.
This homemade spray for cabbage worms is safe for use on vegetable crops.
11. Repellent Plants
Growing plants close by that deter cabbage worms from your plants is another organic control method you can try.
Marigolds are known for deterring a wide range of pests. They are also on the list of plants that repel cabbage worms.
Other good companion plants for cabbage crops include thyme, sage, and peppermint. These may help keep both the moths and caterpillars away.
12. Spinosad Spray
This product is an excellent natural insecticide against cabbage worms. It often kills them within 1 to 2 days after application.
You can buy it as a ready-made spray, sometimes with other organic ingredients.
This treatment can also affect other insect pests, so it should be used carefully.
13. Garlic Spray
Garlic’s strong smell may help deter cabbage white butterflies from laying eggs on your plants. It can also discourage other garden pests.
To make a homemade garlic spray, blend 2 whole garlic bulbs with 4 cups of water. Strain the mixture and add it to 1 gallon of water.
For better sticking power, mix in 1 teaspoon of mild liquid soap.
Spray the solution on cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and other susceptible crops. Reapply every few days and after rainfall for the best results.
Garlic spray won’t kill cabbage worms. However, it may help reduce infestations by making your plants less attractive to butterflies that lay eggs.
Takeaway
The most effective approach is often a mix of methods.
Use row covers, conduct regular inspections, remove pests by hand, and apply targeted organic treatments like Bt. This combination helps manage pests effectively.
Using several strategies together helps keep cabbage worm populations low while protecting beneficial insects and your garden.
I have also sage plants near the cabbage plants helps a lot