My Garden

[Burleyman]

So as spring has come the equinox has brought many days of lush scenting flowers and abundance of native fauna and bloooooming flora!
I am constantly amazed of natures dynamics!
Spring is an amazing time for new cycles beginning, saying that... Many insects and bugs

So as my rotational garden has been gradually transforming from winter into a spring garden, many new friends have decided to reside in my garden.. I love them all as it shows me an indication on how healthy it is but i can see certain areas in my Bio-cycle of organisms and bugs that i am having an overcoming situation of white cabbage moth as i cannot accommodate this many.. As you probably know they turn into caterpillars!!!!

So i have gone through a series of processes to eliminate such an intense fluctuation of these creatures but they still have managed to eat away alot of my (what was) produce..

I have gone along the lines of using crushed garlic in a sock soaked in boiling water and then used the infused water in a spray bottle and applied to each side of every leaf in my garden...
Along with the same said method above done with a little bit of washing detergent and crushed lemons..

They still don't seem to be budging at all... I believe that the plants have outsmarted me for their own good as many plants have a fibrous/waxy coating on their leaves as a defence mechanism which has lead to all my sprays just rolling off the leaves..

I have resorted to using Beer in little tubs place strategically around my garden as this attracts the caterpillars from the sweetness/yeast content.. I dont really mind using beer as i am not much of a drinker at all but this does not appear to be working either....


DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER IDEAS/METHODS OF HOW I CAN ELIMINATE THE WHITE CABBAGE MOTH/CATERPILLARS FROM MY GARDEN?

BIG LOVE

[franky]

Bacillus thurigensis(sp?) supsp. konegii aka Dipel from bunnings works a charm.

[Burleyman]

Good times!
I have heard many good things about bacillus

[coolname]

Pyrethrum is good for keeping them away, but doesn't seem to be much use if they are already all over your plants. Also I have heard that you can cut up a milk bottle (or anyother white plastic) into a rough shape of the cabbage moth and hang them all around your plants to keep them away. Apparently the cabbage.moths are territorial and won't eat plants that are already covered in other cabbage moths (or decoys)

[waterboy 2.0]

Dipel is the shit for white cabbage moth, only way I can pull off decent brassicas when there are the broadacre crops rotated in the vicinity.

Give me biological warfare over chemical anyday.....

Edited November 11, 2014 by waterboy

[Amazonian]

I have resorted to using Beer in little tubs place strategically around my garden as this attracts the caterpillars from the sweetness/yeast content..

The beer method would be more for slugs and snails as those things are just drunks,lol. Caterpillars are pretty fussy about their food plants and I doubt they would go for beer

Also I have heard that you can cut up a milk bottle (or anyother white plastic) into a rough shape of the cabbage moth and hang them all around your plants to keep them away. Apparently the cabbage.moths are territorial and won't eat plants that are already covered in other cabbage moths (or decoys)

I have heard of this method also. The cabbage butterflies are reluctant to lay their eggs on plants that may not have enough food to see the larvae through to pupation, so when there appears to be an abundance of other butterflies on the food plant, the butterfly may move on?!.

There are parasitic wasps and flies that lay eggs onto the caterpillars and they seem to keep the numbers in check, which can be a pain if you are trying to breed butterflies, lol.

[Alice]

On Gardening Australia maybe two weeks ago they talked about some sacrificial plant that the cabbage moth caterpillars prefer over typical brassicas. Plant them alongside etc. Would still be up on iView probably.

I use Dipel too. If I were you I'd try that first, it's so easy and it works fast.

Damn those cute green grubs. Damn them to hell

[bullit]

+5 for dipel also try ecogrub daily morning and evening checks also grow sum lace and other flowering green crops .

and same as alice theres a poison kale that the moths love but kill them bastards cant remember the name

Edited November 11, 2014 by bullit

[☽Ţ ҉ĥϋηϠ₡яღ☯ॐ€ðяئॐ♡Pϟiℓℴϟℴ]

wonder if its what we call ornamental cabbages over here?

I recall from childhood being told to never eat them cuz theyre poisonous and that theyre really a kale

[sundrop]

if none of the above works you may have to resort to netting the moths have ruined my brussels sprouts and i am really considering it myself for all future brassicas

Edited November 11, 2014 by sundrop

[Burleyman]

This is everywhere !!

[brooa]

bastards destroyed my broccoli (aided by the weather) and made a pretty good dent in my kale. have never seen them so bad! i just go out in the morning and squish as many as i can find haha

[Burleyman]

Yeah they have done the same with all my brassicas! Hajj I like diapel but I done like that it kills everything else...