6 Organic Ways to Prevent and Kill Cabbage Worms

Cabbage worms stop many organic gardeners from even trying to grow brassicas of any kind... Like Cabbages, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts, and Kohlrabi.
Not any more. There are plenty of organic ways to control cabbage loopers and cabbage white worms. In this organic gardening video, Brian will show you 6 of them.

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[GrandmaMaeCorporation]

I am privileged to know the scientist that invented BT ( Professor Thornley at USU) he said they use it on ears of corn when the hairs come out to stop corn worms. It’s good on potatoes, anything that eats veggies, I stopped him at the Bank one day to congratulate him on making the world a better place, . He’s gone now, I’m glad I took the opportunity to acknowledge him, he lite up like a Christmas tree.

[gratefulketo]

Back in the old days...we used to cover the cabbages and cauliflowers with panty hose! Strange but it worked!

[klomax]

Perfect timing for this video, thank you! Those bugs and worms are disrespectful. 😡 I will be trying BT for sure 👍🏽

[jojackson]

I live beside a nature preserve so have a serious critter problem as well. I've put my raised beds in 1/2" hardware cloth cages with removable tops and use drip tube sliced lengthwise to protect the edges from snagging me. So far that seems to also keep out the cabbage pests too. I have a couple of big wolf spiders too, and use a cloth to knock those white butterflies down so I can grab them and toss them into the spider webs. THAT's quite the show: spiders race out, discard the wings and wrap them up tight, and then repair the holes in the webs, ready for the next one! It's SO satisfying!

[GutenGardening]

Those cabbage worm set us back severely this Fall! No mercy for them. You are right, they are the master of camouflage. Great tips! We will be ready for them next season. Thanks for sharing.
p.s. They seem to also like our purple Kale...

[Falafelzebub]

I had success using nasturtiums as companion plants. They don't work as a deterrent, but as a sacrificial crop, because cabbage butterflies seem to prefer them. Also, if you aren't growing a huge crop, just rubbing out the eggs with your thumb before they hatch is much easier than picking off the worms.

[alysonbaker]

Thumbs up to BT. I learned, from Brian, about BT last summer and used it on all my cabbage, beets, lettuces, kale, and other places where I’ve found cabbage loopers in the past. BT worked like a charm. I didn’t have near the damage and was able to grow cabbage to harvest. I grew red cabbage but never noticed whether it had been chewed. I just went down the row. I didn’t realize I could be fertilizing at the same time. Yea!! That will simplify spraying next summer. Thank you again for a great vid.

[nellanddudley]

I've been using BT since I planted my first garden in 1980. It works! Love the idea of foliar feeding at the same time!

[gabbygertie]

I have 12 cabbage plants, and 12 brussel sprouts plants. I picked 121 cabbage worms off my plants today. And I've been using Neem oil! It's war now! BT it is!

[sandielefant]

Oh wow! Game changer! Thank you!! I've searched every leaf and cannot find the darn worms. I'm going to the nursery now! Thanks!!

[resourcefulgirl]

Thanks so much. The worms destroyed everything. This is my first year growing food. I just sat down and wrote a list of what I learned, both what works and what needs to change. I love cabbage and next year I'll be far more diligent. One morning everything was destroyed. Just subscribed and looking forward to more organic tricks and tips :)

[laurieanne]

Very helpful! Here all these years, I didn't know I could combine the foliar feed with the Bt. Thank You!

[klattin]

Thank you so much, you continue to teach me things i wish I'd known 40 years ago. My grandkids LOVE to run around with their butterfly nets to catch butterflies. I've taught them the only butterfly they cannot catch and release are those pesky white ones. They thus catch and dispose of those. But i still have the evidence of worms. You've given me even better ammunition to battle cabbage worms!

[RoyHolder]

I had red cabbages, butterflies didn't care, still ate them.. Fine bird netting helps..

[deannadelabretonne]

I had no idea I could spray for pests with BT and use fertilizer all at the same time! So good to know! Thanks!

[gabbykb]

Had some arugula under attack and tried the cornmeal method.... From all appearances it seems to have done the trick. Thanks alot!!

[kathleenthomas]

What a great idea to add liquid fertilizer to the BT! Thank you!

[Trakehner]

Dang! I would've never thought of the purple plants deterring the worms! You're amazing! I didn't think they would care or think about it.

[TorahFirma]

Oh thank you so much for these suggestions! I started SO many brassicas this year and planted out a TON of them after we finally made it past our last frost date here in Zone 6a, which has moved in the last several years to about mid-May. This is definitely going to save my Kale, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower harvest this year!

Also, on a side note, I built a modified version of your tomato trellis to suit our beds this year (I pieced together raised beds from scrap pallet wood, old split fence rails, and other scrap wood I had laying around), and I ended up making use of a bunch of old thick wire T-post clips that we rarely use, but we always end up with whenever we buy T-posts, to make my own string spools to hang the line for the tomatoes on the trellis, and so far, it is working out AWESOME!!

I greatly appreciate your videos and information- your channel is a lifesaver! Keep up the great work!

[dhahabu]

Every time I look at my kale I am depressed... two have been eaten away completely. One is surviving but only just ... today found two worms and took them off manually. I am now going to get this BT product. Thanks a lot for tips.

By the way I love your T-shirt! Once I get BT my 'matatas' will be over. I will be able to say "Hakuna Matata." :-)