Sasha CampbellAfter emerging from their eggs, cabbage worms feed on the surrounding plant parts without delay.
They’ll feed on crops like broccoli, kale, cauliflower, lettuce, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. As a result, you must get rid of them before an infestation begins.
Identification
The imported cabbageworm (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 phase can be very destructive, creating many 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 see signs of their dark green, round poop 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 prevent cabbage loopers and worms is to have your chickens, ducks, or geese work for you.
These birds naturally enjoy picking off the caterpillars and making a meal out of them.
2. Floating Row Covers
Another organic method of keeping away cabbage worms is using 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
Make a homemade cabbage worm spray of soap and water to repel the critters. Some people use Dawn dish soap, but we recommend organic soap for your vegetable garden.
Combine four 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
This method is one of the most common yet natural approaches to rid the garden of certain pests.
- Ladybugs are good at feeding on these and other cabbage pests. Moreover, you can purchase beneficial ladybugs to help populate the garden.
- 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 encourage insects that are good for the garden.
5. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)
Bacillus thuringiensis can eliminate cabbage moth caterpillars. They 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 instructions on the package.
6. Neem Oil Spray
Neem oil is another excellent home remedy for small green worm-like pests on plants. Though it will not kill them on contact, it works best as a preventive measure to stop adult moths from coming around.
To use neem oil for cabbage worms, combine one tablespoon of organic liquid soap with one tablespoon of neem oil and 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 these pests become problematic.
7. Cornmeal
Some gardeners report that cornmeal is an effective home remedy for cabbage worms.
Dampen the plant leaves with water and dust them with cornmeal. After eating the cornmeal, the caterpillars will gradually swell and die.
8. Manual Removal
A cost-effective way to control these harmful crop pests is to pick off the eggs and caterpillars by hand and dispose of them.
Pick or rub off the cabbage worm eggs and squish them. You can also feed the caterpillars to birds or chickens.
9. Sticky Traps
As pretty as those white butterflies are, they are probably shedding their eggs there 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 acts to pierce and dehydrate these soft-bodied pests, eventually killing them.
You can also make a diatomaceous earth spray by mixing half a cup of food-grade DE with a gallon of water. 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 plants include thyme, tansy, sage, tomatoes, and peppermint. These may help keep both the moths and caterpillars away.
12. Spinosad Spray
This product is an excellent natural insecticide for cabbage worms because it kills them within 1 to 2 days. You can buy it as a ready-prepared spray, sometimes with other organic ingredients.
This treatment also has toxic effects on many other insect pests.
13. Beneficial Nematodes
Beneficial nematodes attack pests’ larvae. They release bacteria into the cabbage caterpillars, destroying them.
Purchase beneficial nematodes from reputable online farm stores.
Takeaway
Using natural methods, you can control cabbage worms and many other insect pests. Try out these remedies and see what works best for you.
I have also sage plants near the cabbage plants helps a lot