Dealing with Common Garden Pests: Cabbage worms and Potato bugs
January 25th, 2012
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It seems many gardeners on YouTube haven’t discovered BT (yet) to combat cabbage worms. So, I thought I’d do a video on this product. You are basically infecting the little catepillars with a disease that paralyzes their digestive tract. They sicken and die soon after ingesting this bacterium. So, it’s an organic choice as well to get rid of those ANNOYING worms! I also “demonstrate” an organic method of getting rid of the Colorado Potato bug larva.
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Try putting your chickens out into the garden once your plants are big enough for them not to scratch them up, They will eat all your bugs.
hahahahhaha, you are amazing! I love your energy, you actually made me laugh speaking of getting sprayed in the eye with the bug juice, as I was getting increasingly grossed out..
), great video!! thanks 
@chicagocindybuddie — I can never seem to get brussel sprouts to maturity before winter sets in. I And this year, I got everything in so late due to weather. I planted a little section of one row anyway in brussel sprouts. This Spring, I did have one plant that survived the winter and was probably going to bloom / make seeds this year. I was pretty excited to save those seeds from such a hardy plant. . . until hubby “helped” me and pulled it out this Spring. ARGGH!
Thanks. I think I have cabbage worms on my brussels sprouts. I’m going to try this. I live in the midwest. Not sure how big the plants will get, but I’m experimenting with new vegetables this year.
@Hollyhocks0 Squash bugs are the only ones I’ve really had a hard time with finding something organic to deal with them. Interesting idea about using their dead comrades to deter them. . . .I may have to pick up a special blender at a garage sale this Spring! : )
Different bugs for different plants. What ever their on take that leaf with as many of the bugs that eat it and water to them in a blender.Then I spray the plant and ground around with the liquid. I find the bugs don’t like eating their dead. I try not to get the good insects in the miuxture. Works for me.I enjoy your videos.
Have you herd of the Tanacetum cinerariifolium “Dalmatian Pyrethrum” it makes great insectacide & you can companion plant with it to keep bugs away!
Glad to know about the BT I’ll get some soon just a few holes in some leaves so far.
I do what marthale7 does and cover my brassica family crops (kale, cabbage, cauliflower, etc.) with a floating row cover mesh cloth. It keeps the pesky white moth/butterflys from laying their eggs on the plants and avoids the worm infestation all together. I also heard small containers with an inch of beer under potato plants lure the potato bugs in and drowns them. This might help in between squishings!
I am no purest ether and when we decided to go with sevin dust on our potato bugs we were just at our wits ends with organic product shortcomings . You just have to wash your plants really well before consumption when using sevin dust.
Good to know about the BT. I am growing in containers, and I have put netting over my kale stops the moths from getting to it so I don’t have to spray at all HURRAY! I have seen people put PVC over entire rows with the netting over top. I am sold on this method. I wonder….. could you use a wick method to pull up water from below? If you were to dig a hole with the post hole digger and fill it with peat moss would that pull up water via wicking….. Just an idea.
@haserterr — thanks, good to know. Although I must admit, I take a certain, sick satisfaction in squashing them. LOL
@marieatthelake — I don’t know, I’ve never tried using ashes (never had potato bugs before). But I mentioned it on the video because Ken from the centervilletn channel said that is what he did for his potato bug problem. Check his channel out — he’s got a beautiful garden!
Are paper (made from wood) ashes an effective substitute?
@Michigansnowpony haha….maybe!
Thanks for reminding me.. Ive been seeing little white moths flying around starting a week ago and need to pick up some BT Now…
@Wivanunu — Neighbors maybe? : ) Seriously, I don’t know that eats basil. I haven’t had anything go after mine — yet.
BT is great stuff!!!
Dh is my potato bug squisher lol. he checks the rows once or twice a day for them.
@ironhead41 — yeah, I mean I try to be organic, but if it comes down between losing an entire crop of something or using a non-organic product, I’m going to use the non-organic product, especially if nothing organic has worked, or worked well.
@kokonutbaby1 — I’ve seen it at our local hardware store (that has a big gardening section) BUT if you can’t find it, Jung seed on line carries the product I use. There are others beside Thuricide with BT in them though. Look for the BT ingredient.
@kokonutbaby1 — Not blood, but bright ORANGE potato bug guts. God made them bright orange so you can spot them easier. Now the tomato horn worms . . .
NOT, couldn’t squish those — they’re too much like worms and oh, some of those buggers are HUGE! But, (with gloves on, ofcourse), I have picked them off for chicken food.
@Praxxus55712 — Oh dear, it was that obvious wasn’t it? ; )
I have used Dawn soap and water. Some people add Cayenne pepper and garlic to it as well.
Ok you’re having WAAAY too much fun killing those bugs. ” Aren’t they beautiful?” >SQUISH< Can anyone hear her daughter in the background? “Momma’s in the garden again and she’s laughing like grampa used to before he drove his tractor through the local Walmart”
lol. Gross but funny! I’ll pick up some BT.