So yesterday I was doing my daily check of all the plants (favorite time of the day for me) and when I checked on the Chinese Cabbage, there were little brown objects all over them. I would take a picture, but I don't think my photography skills would even show much they were so small. They are not part of the leaf but a foreign object attached to them.
I am trying to be as organic as possible as long as it makes logical sense, but I was pretty angry when I saw the objects because I have been babying those Cabbages along since January when I started them from seed and they are one of the best looking plants in the garden. So I got the hose out and blasted the heck out of them. They washed easily from the leaves. They were mostly in the middle of the plant and under the leaves.
Today I saw that I had got most of them but there were some remaining. Smallish ants were swarming all over the plants behaving like they were eating the eggs that were left so I just left it alone.
I have Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts and Cabbage growing in nearby beds but those plants all look fine.
I did a search on Aphids and read old threads here to read up on them since that's what I suspect I have.
So here's my questions:
1) Are those Aphid eggs or possibly something else.
2) Is washing them off good enough or should I take other measures.
3) Where are the Aphids coming from if that's what I have? This bed is suspiciously close to the woods. It is also one of the only raised beds I haven't got around to mulching yet, are they coming out of the soil?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Jeff
Possible Aphid Attack
Aphids are everywhere so the location of your beds to the woods doesn't help or hinder. Washing aphids and their eggs off the plant is a great start. You can also spray with a mixture of water and dish soap. The longer your yard is organic then the predators will find your plants. You can buy ladybugs and lacewings, but I haven't had much luck getting them to stay in my yard.
good luck! I'm fighting them off my roses at the moment until the lacewings wake up from the winter!
Same here -- I'm really having trouble keeping the little ne'er-do-wells off my roses. I spray with water to knock them off, and water with a little Dr. Bronner's soap when they're REALLY bad -- it will kill the beneficials as well as the damaging insects, unfortunately. I try to keep the numbers down by squishing them when I see them. They're pretty much born pregnant, so they can get out of hand quickly.
jburesh, I read somewhere ladybugs will go to roost a 1/4 mile from where they're released. I've bought them but never can get them to feel at home. I did see one on my weeping willow yesterday, though, so maybe I'll have some luck this year.
Thanks for the responses. It's funny that they're targeting both your roses. I'm wondering why they're just going for the Chinese Cabbage when there's lots of stuff around they could go after. It's pretty lush and green with big leaves compared to other things so maybe that's it instead of its proximity to the woods.
I checked today and there's still quite a few eggs on the plants but seemed like the ants were eating them. I've seen some ladybugs around so hopefully they will help out :)
Jeff
Jeff, those "objects" could be aphids/aphid eggs or they could be eggs of cabbage worm. Washing them off will help if they are aphids...if they are cabbage worm eggs you may have to keep an eye out for them hatching then spray with Bt. If you watch your garden and see little white butterflys/moths those are the adult cabbage worms, laying eggs usually! Once they appear (and I'm sure they are out in your area now) they will continue thoughout the summer.
If they are aphids/aphid eggs I doubt the ants were eating them but rather babying them. They'll babysit them so they can eventually harvest their honeydew. To help cut down on their harvesting the honeydew you can sprinkle wood ash at the base of the plants as they don't care for it.
Wishing you a great garden this year.
Shoe
Hey Shoe,
Wondered where you were. Hadn't seen you posting for a few days. The ants might be just watching them. I'll blast them again tomorrow and then sprinkle some wood ashes and see what happens.
Jeff
Keep in touch and let us know how it goes. (Especially since I love Chinese cabbage so much! I sure hate to see it get ruined!)
Do you have any greens still growing from your Fall/Winter garden? If so they should be flowering by now and will not only bring in the beneficial bugs but will also attract the adult cabbage worm, helping to keep them from your Chinese cabbage if the greens patch is a good distance away from them. (plus the flowers/seeds heads of those plants are delish!)
Shoe
I have Collards, Broccoli, Lettuce and Arugula flowering at the moment but haven't seen any bugs other than bees on them.
Jeff