Caterpillars on Cabbage and Cauliflower: Hand-Pick, Nets and Bt (Video)

Transcript

Cabbage worms ruining your garden? Here's the simple fix you’ll love.

Cabbage worms ruining your garden? Here's the simple fix you’ll love.

Cabbage & Cauliflower Pest Guide

In this video we’ll walk through the easiest, low-cost steps to keep your cabbage and cauliflower pest-free, hand-picking, netting, and a simple spray, plus we’ll reveal the one habit that makes all the difference, so stay tuned for the secret at the end.

Caterpillars to watch

First, let’s get to know the main culprits. The diamondback moth leaves tiny pale-green worms under a centimeter long, making little windows in the leaves. The white cabbage butterfly grows velvety green caterpillars up to three centimeters, chewing ragged holes and leaving dark droppings. Armyworms are darker, striped, and often feed in groups, sometimes at night, causing sudden heavy damage.

Hand-pick & squash

The simplest defense is hands-on. Every few days, flip each leaf and peer into the heart of the plant. You’ll see tiny yellow bullet-shaped eggs, rub them off with your thumb. When you spot a caterpillar, pluck it and drop it into a cup of soapy water; the soap breaks down its skin and it won’t return.

Underside check

Here’s a habit that saves the crop. Set a phone reminder for two fixed days each week, say Sunday and Wednesday. Grab a torch and inspect five plants fully, undersides included. If you find eggs or tiny caterpillars on more than one or two, treat the entire bed that day. Small pests are easy to catch; big ones have already damaged the heart.

Use insect netting

Netting is a game-changer. Drape a fine-mesh insect net over your seedlings as soon as you transplant, before any eggs appear. Secure the edges by burying them or weighing them down with bricks so nothing crawls under. Brassicas don’t need insects for pollination, so you can leave the net in place right through to harvest.

Tiny caterpillars size

A quick stat to keep in mind: the most common diamondback moth caterpillars are under one centimeter long. Their tiny size lets them slip under leaves and go unnoticed, which is why regular underside checks are crucial before they grow larger and cause serious damage.

Bt spray basics

When hand-picking isn’t enough, reach for a Bt spray. It’s a natural bacterial product that only works when caterpillars eat the treated leaf, so make sure you cover both sides. It’s most effective on young, hungry larvae. Apply in the evening or on a cloudy day, and repeat after any rain because the spray washes off.

DIY spray support

You can boost your defence with homemade sprays. A garlic-chilli mix can make leaves less attractive to soft-bodied pests like aphids, but it won’t stop a well-fed caterpillar inside a head. Neem oil may deter egg-laying and slow young larvae, yet it should be a backup, not your main strategy.

The one habit to save crop

So, what’s the single habit that makes the biggest impact? It’s checking the undersides of every leaf twice a week and squashing any eggs you find. This routine catches pests before they grow, keeps the plant’s heart intact, and reduces the need for any spray at all.

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Read the full guide

The full guide is on thecareonline.com. General information only, so check with your doctor for your own case.