Garden Help

[donttread]

I am currently winning the garden battle with the gopher, the chipmonks ( yes chipmonks) , powery mildew, and rust. I've seen very few slugs and snails.
But..., there is always a but with gardening, something that I cannot find is eating my cabbage. Sometimes the end of leaves but usually holes in the middle. Whatever it is , it is never present when I look and it is also chewing the $#@! out a form of wild plaintain that is a persistent weed here.
Any ideas what it might be?

[Dr. Who]

I am currently winning the garden battle with the gopher, the chipmonks ( yes chipmonks) , powery mildew, and rust. I've seen very few slugs and snails.
But..., there is always a but with gardening, something that I cannot find is eating my cabbage. Sometimes the end of leaves but usually holes in the middle. Whatever it is , it is never present when I look and it is also chewing the $#@! out a form of wild plaintain that is a persistent weed here.
Any ideas what it might be?

Slugs - they love cabbage and all cruciferous vegetables.

[donttread]

Slugs - they love cabbage and all cruciferous vegetables.

OK Doc, I have certainly had issues with them in the past so I will take a closer look. I have wondered if whatever was feeding on the leaves did so at night.
Thank you.

[jigglepete]

I am currently winning the garden battle with the gopher, the chipmonks ( yes chipmonks) , powery mildew, and rust. I've seen very few slugs and snails.
But..., there is always a but with gardening, something that I cannot find is eating my cabbage. Sometimes the end of leaves but usually holes in the middle. Whatever it is , it is never present when I look and it is also chewing the $#@! out a form of wild plaintain that is a persistent weed here.
Any ideas what it might be?

I does sound like slug or snail (shelled slugs) damage. Could you post a picture of the damaged leaves? Also look for slime trails, a dead givaway...

[jigglepete]

BTW if it is slugs, use diatomaceous earth and make sure it's food grade (obviously). And if it's not slugs, it might be caterpillars, or even earwigs...d.e. will protect against all of them, but a picture says a thousand words...

[donttread]

I does sound like slug or snail (shelled slugs) damage. Could you post a picture of the damaged leaves? Also look for slime trails, a dead givaway...

Thanks. I'm not much of a picture poster but I did go out and found what may be slime trails on some of the plants. The thing is that I have more slugs most years than I do this year and I can't find any . I've killed maybe 5 slugs/snails all year when sometimes it's 5 or more times that number. So I will treat for slugs along with powery mildew, rust, and the gopher that got in the garden again today because I forgot to close the gate and went golfing. The golf was a disappointment too. LOL

[John Galt]

Nope...it might not be slugs. You notice those little white moths that flutter around your plants? They're cabbage moths. They lay eggs on the leaves. The eggs look like a pile of green insect feces. Said eggs hatch into cabbage loopers. Little green caterpillars that blend perfectly with the vegetation. They get fat and juicy if they live long enough. Look closely for green caterpillars. They can destroy your crop in a matter of days, and they love all brassicas.

I use BT (bacillus thuringiensis) powder...commonly known as BT. It comes in spray, but brassica leaves tend to be rubbery and waterproof. BT harms nothing but caterpillars of any type. It paralyzes the gut and they starve. It's rated 0 as an organic pesticide, which means you can use it on the day you harvest


https://www.google.com/search?q=cabb...EWzaBl4ZVLbAxM

[John Galt]

BTW if it is slugs, use diatomaceous earth and make sure it's food grade (obviously). And if it's not slugs, it might be caterpillars, or even earwigs...d.e. will protect against all of them, but a picture says a thousand words...

I've used a variety of things for slugs, but I found this many years ago. Also organic, and it works just like the BT. The slugs eat it, and it paralyzes the gut. Use it early in the season before you see slugs. Kill the first generation, and your summer is much better.


Iron phosphate, and slug attractant.

https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Safe-4...09005109&psc=1

[donttread]

Nope...it might not be slugs. You notice those little white moths that flutter around your plants? They're cabbage moths. They lay eggs on the leaves. The eggs look like a pile of green insect feces. Said eggs hatch into cabbage loopers. Little green caterpillars that blend perfectly with the vegetation. They get fat and juicy if they live long enough. Look closely for green caterpillars. They can destroy your crop in a matter of days, and they love all brassicas.

I use BT (bacillus thuringiensis) powder...commonly known as BT. It comes in spray, but brassica leaves tend to be rubbery and waterproof. BT harms nothing but caterpillars of any type. It paralyzes the gut and they starve. It's rated 0 as an organic pesticide, which means you can use it on the day you harvest


https://www.google.com/search?q=cabb...EWzaBl4ZVLbAxM

Thanks I will look into that.

[donttread]

I think that I may have found my culprit. It just might be ants! I didn't know that ants ate vegitables but they are the only thing I can catch on or near the plants. Something was eating a squash flower and I found ants on it. When I moved a plant ants exploded out of the new site. So I looked it up and yup they could be the issue.
However the Diatomaceous earth that Jigglepete recomended would work on the ants as well as slugs so I ordered some. In the meantime the article said that ants dislike strong smells ( I'm guessing is interfers with theie communication scents. ) So I picked some mint leaves and sprinkkle some cinnimon. Defending my garden is becoming a full time job!