Question:
Our fall vegetable garden has green worms attacking it. They have eaten the leaves of the Broccoli and Red Cabbage and are now moving on to the lettuce. We applied a Caterpillar Killer to the leaves, but today I noticed the worms are back. Is this normal? How often should I re-spray?Answer:
- Cabbage Loopers are causing holes in the leaves of cool-season vegetables.
- The Cabbage Looper is the larval stage of a Moth. Its only purpose is to eat; then it hibernates as a pupa and changes into an adult moth.
- Cabbage Loopers (Trichoplusia ni) are sometimes called Inchworms because they move by pushing one end of their body toward the other in a looping motion, inching along as they go. They can eat up to three times their body weight in a single day, and where there’s one, there are always a lot more.
- For minor outbreaks, just pick off the critters and throw them away; otherwise, spray the foliage with Bt, Bacillus Thuringiensis or Spinosad. Bt and Spinosad are environmentally safe insecticides for use on all edible plants.
- You will continue to see holes and worms for about a week after the first application. The worms have to ingest the insecticide before it can work. Bt. gives the worms a fatal case of stomach flu. The worms stop feeding and turn black when dead. You will need to reapply, as several generations of worms develop in a growing season.
- With the rain season beginning, the spray residue washes away. So you’ll have holes in the leaves most of the winter.
Question:
I've discovered a sweet peach at the grocery store called the Donut Peach. I'm just wild about it. Can you tell me more about them? I want to start one from the pits I've saved.Answer:
- The Donut Peach is an old peach variety that originated in China with pink blossoms. It's now being reintroduced to a whole new generation of gardeners.
- It’s a small tree, averaging 10 to 12 feet tall and about as wide. It's typically less acidic than yellow peaches and is best enjoyed fresh during its peak season, July to August.
- This freestone variety requires a moderate amount of winter chill. It has an unusual flat shape, as if it were squashed. The pit is in the center and pops out easily, leaving a hole.
- The remaining peach looks like a donut, hence its name. It starts producing 2 to 3 years after planting and yields about 50 pounds of peaches per season.
- Donut Peaches, like most other fruit trees, are unpredictable when grown from seed or pits, so I’d plant a budded tree.
- Bare-root trees will be available in limited quantities at some independent garden centers in January, not at home improvement-type retailers.