Re: [gardeners]Cabbage Loopers [was: Seeds]
Marianne Lepa (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Fri, 16 Jan 1998 11:41:43 -0500
At 08:04 AM 1/16/98 -0700, you wrote:
>At 06:52 AM 1/16/98, you wrote:
>>>
>>Didn't save the post with the name of the thighs. Remind me and I'll order
>>a packet. Still bet the squash borers get them though. I ordered some
>>killer nematodes too, gotta get some of these grubs dead. No problem with
>>cabbage worms this year so far. Between picking them off and spraying with
>>bt we must be getting them.
>>
>>George
>>
>I received the March edition of Kitchen Garden magazine yesterday, and a
>photo of 'Lacinato' Kale (which I hadn't heard of before) shows a vial
>upside down on a stick, balanced over the kale. Caption says the "cotton
>ball in the vial is soaked with camphor oil to repel cabbage looper moths."
> The stick must be anchored in the ground at an angle, so the other end is
>slightly angled, but centered over the plant. Hmmm. I wonder if it even
>protects the outer leaves. Camphor is strong-smelling stuff. My Dad used
>to lard his hands with Camphor Ice just before he sat down at the table for
>dinner. Everything tasted like camphor ice, which may have been a
>blessing, considering some of my Mom's cooking...Margaret
>
A commercial organic grower of my aquaintance has experimented with all
sorts of repellants for brassica pests. According to him, unless there is
some sort of a trap crop available, then scents simply won't be strong
enough to keep the moths away. He says the only surefire way to keep the
pests out of the brassicas is row covers. He special orders a 400 count
muslin to use for row covers because the spun ones contain plastic! (And I
thought I was pure...)
Marianne
Southeastern Ontario AgCan zone 5b