The holes have started appearing on my just-budding purple brussel sprouts and my cabbage. The green loopers are starting to emerge. I’ve seen their white fluffy butterfly parents flitting about the garden; they’re out there every year and near possible to chase away. I cheer when a sparrow snatches one in mid-flight or the cat smacks one to the ground. Still, it only takes a couple of eggs and successful hatches to decimate a brassica plant (cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, broccoli and such). And, the hatch is on in my garden.

Yesterday I pinched three green worms and fed their carcassas back to the garden. I’ve got to be vigilant and suggest you be as well. Look for any black spots on the plants or chew holes or green worms. If you see any, seek out more worms and kill them. In just a few hours, it seems, one worm can destroy an entire plant. And, just because you get a few worms one day doesn’t mean you’ve gotten the entire hatch. More are likely on the way.

And what part of the plant do they prefer? Well, the tender new growth of course. Would you expect anything less from a garden pest? They’ll chomp the buds off a brussel sprout and the young heads off a cabbage faster than you’d believe.

Handpicking is my preferred method. I don’t have an enormous vegie garden, so this is possible for me. If you’d like to read more about these pests, read more at Organic Gardening Magazine .

Be vigilant and save your food! (And, yes, they’ll eat more than just your brassicas)