Who is eating my broccoli? (pics)

[northernimpala]

Thank you for the information. I just might try BT this year, I don't want to kill butterflies just so I can grow cabbage and broccoli etc.

[tjg911]

Originally Posted by northernimpala

Thank you for the information. I just might try BT this year, I don't want to kill butterflies just so I can grow cabbage and broccoli etc.

not sure i understand your reasoning. BT will kill butterfly caterpillars. BT kills ALL caterpillars. BT is harmless to all other creatures. BT does not harm butterflys just the cats. there are 3 or 4 varieties of BT you want the most commonly used variety but i forget which one that is. don't get the one for potato beetle larva. one brand name is thuricide and another is dipell either are what you want.

tom

[TomNJ]

The one I used is Garden Safe Bt Worm & Caterpillar Killer. It is a liquid concentrate that you dilute one tablespoon per gallon of water and spray the leaves. It's labeled "for Organic Gardening" and says it can be applied up to and on the day of harvest. Works great!

TomNJ/VA

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by northernimpala

Thank you for the information. I just might try BT this year, I don't want to kill butterflies just so I can grow cabbage and broccoli etc.

I agree but if you buy the food from the store then those growers are using something too.
If you grow your own you know what you used.
Just a thought.

Worth

[raindrops27]

Have not been around much, as I am preparing for a vacation at the end of the month, but this caught my eye.. I planted broccoli, and cabbage last year went through all of the trouble to cover the broccoli and cabbage seedlings with row covers pinned into the ground only to have them still be pretty much demolished and laden with worms..(just recounting the story is getting me slightly perturbed. lol)

How could this have happened. I thought the butterflies had to land on the leaves and lay baby worms, how did they get under my row covers?? I had BT, but was so disgusted at all the damage I did not spray. I may have gotten 3 heads of broccoli out of 15 all the work and effort I put into those plants not to mention, as I was eating my broccoli, I caught a glimpse of a cooked worm so that was that in the garbage..After 4, 1 hour soaks in heavily salted water, and rinses still worms..Ugh..

So please tell me what could of happened for the worms to infest my broccoli, also what is the proper way to get all of the worms out of the broccoli prior to consuming I am taking this year off of planting broccoli, as I am still disgusted with my trial, but maybe next time God willing..

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by raindrops27

Have not been around much, as I am preparing for a vacation at the end of the month, but this caught my eye.. I planted broccoli, and cabbage last year went through all of the trouble to cover the broccoli and cabbage seedlings with row covers pinned into the ground only to have them still be pretty much demolished and laden with worms..(just recounting the story is getting me slightly perturbed. lol)

How could this have happened. I thought the butterflies had to land on the leaves and lay baby worms, how did they get under my row covers?? I had BT, but was so disgusted at all the damage I did not spray. I may have gotten 3 heads of broccoli out of 15 all the work and effort I put into those plants not to mention, as I was eating my broccoli, I caught a glimpse of a cooked worm so that was that in the garbage..After 4, 1 hour soaks in heavily salted water, and rinses still worms..Ugh..

So please tell me what could of happened for the worms to infest my broccoli, also what is the proper way to get all of the worms out of the broccoli prior to consuming I am taking this year off of planting broccoli, as I am still disgusted with my trial, but maybe next time God willing..

Maybe they hatched from the soil.

Worth

[tjg911]

Originally Posted by raindrops27

Have not been around much, as I am preparing for a vacation at the end of the month, but this caught my eye.. I planted broccoli, and cabbage last year went through all of the trouble to cover the broccoli and cabbage seedlings with row covers pinned into the ground only to have them still be pretty much demolished and laden with worms..(just recounting the story is getting me slightly perturbed. lol) did you cover them immediately after planting? worms? caterpillars?

How could this have happened. I thought the butterflies or moths for broccoli and cabbage it is the cabbage moth had to land on the leaves and lay baby worms, how did they get under my row covers?? pinning the FRC if there's a gap or gaps they can get under isn't going to work. pin the FRC but cover the entire perimeter of the FRC with soil to hold it in place and prevent entry I had BT, but was so disgusted at all the damage I did not spray. I may have gotten 3 heads of broccoli out of 15 how can you cover a full grown plant? mine are fairly large.all the work and effort I put into those plants not to mention, as I was eating my broccoli, I caught a glimpse of a cooked worm so that was that in the garbage..After 4, 1 hour soaks in heavily salted water, and rinses still worms..Ugh..

So please tell me what could of happened for the worms to infest my broccoli, also what is the proper way to get all of the worms out of the broccoli prior to consuming I am taking this year off of planting broccoli, as I am still disgusted with my trial, but maybe next time God willing..

[northernimpala]

Originally Posted by tjg911

not sure i understand your reasoning. BT will kill butterfly caterpillars. BT kills ALL caterpillars. BT is harmless to all other creatures. BT does not harm butterflys just the cats. there are 3 or 4 varieties of BT you want the most commonly used variety but i forget which one that is. don't get the one for potato beetle larva. one brand name is thuricide and another is dipell either are what you want.

tom

Sorry there should have been a but in front of the I don't want to kill butterflies. I think they are winning, I saw cages made from screen door fabric on line, I have to check it out but that is probably the way to go for me. Thanks Tom

[raindrops27]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Maybe they hatched from the soil.

Worth

Worth, I've been reading to keep the cabbage moths/worms at bay use row covers to prevent them from even landing on the broccoli, it does not matter as I give up on growing broccoli anyhow!!

[raindrops27]

Tj, I used an excess amount of row cover with lots of room for growth.. I did not cover the edges with dirt just used the u pins oh well I am done with it..It was just a heart wrenching disaster..lol.. I am laughing now, but it really was not funny at the time..

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by raindrops27

Worth, I've been reading to keep the cabbage moths/worms at bay use row covers to prevent them from even landing on the broccoli, it does not matter as I give up on growing broccoli anyhow!!

Makes you want to take a flame thrower to the garden.

Worth

[tjg911]

the cabbage moths probably got under the loose edges. it's almost impossible to pin down the entire thing this is why i cover the perimeter with soil - that works.

tom