As I said, they go to the chickens, so all is not lost. I don’t think it matters either way. Which dish soap do you use, and how much do you dilute it? Broccoli, Cabbage and Kale are among our most important crops at Terra Firma, and we grow them from October through March. We’ve seen more aphids in our broccoli and kale this winter too. If only ladybugs ate more aphids. I like your attitude! Some aphids are darker colors, like brown. After consulting with a couple of local nurseries and a friend who knows agriculture, I’ve gone the nematode route instead of pesticide. It save my cabbage but I didn’t see them on my brussels sprouts in time and they’ve just about sucked the life out of them. The turnip aphid typically infests mustard, radish, shepherdspurse, turnip, and watercress. Saving the Parent Washington Navel orange tree, University of California Integrated Pest Management webpage for these specific aphids, Growing broccoli and cauliflower in Southern California, https://www.thriftyfun.com/Dish-Soap-for-Aphids-2.html, http://ipm.ucanr.edu/QT/commongardenspiderscard.html, http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7411.html. Well, the neem oil may have worked but at the same time it basically burned several of the leaves on stems. These signs aren’t specific to broccoli. I have quite an infestation of aphids on 3 of 4 Brussels Sprouts plants in my container garden. Cauliflower is a brassica so avoid planting where you last put plants like broccoli, kale, or cabbage. For example, I harvested this head of cauliflower the other day. As it stands here on February 2, 2018, we’ve had a single day of rain, nearly every other day having been sunny and warm. Res. Dispersing adults have wings. The very next day I still had quite a lot of activity on the plants so I decided to clean them off with a stream of water. Rotation. There are a few cultural practices to help reduce insect pests. I read about first on the IPM website. You chop it up and roast it, maybe add a little crushed black pepper and any stragglers blend right in. In the bed of Romanesco from which I took that photo, out of the six plants, three went to the chickens. Fascinating creature to read about. In general, they’re beneficial predators that keep some insects in check. I feel like it would give them free range on the crop. I’d leave the spider alone. Rain and cold slows them down, but doesn’t kill them. Sta., 1953, 19. ), A list with links to all of my Yard Posts is HERE. Why? *looks the other way*. And I don’t eat cow, but I use a lot of black pepper. UC Riverside has a big study using KM Ant Pro bait stations to control aphids in citrus groves. Remember that cauliflower? Greg, keep the stations filled, measure and dilute 1:! ‘Goodman’ cauliflower ready for harvest. Nat. Brussels sprouts always get aphids worst, but I think that if you continue to keep them in check by consistently blasting them with water then you will get a harvest. Hi..great article! by Erin Marissa Russell When you’re growing cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, or kale, you’re likely to run up against the garden pests this article will teach you to fight: the ones that prey on brassicas. Will the survivors not infest other plants?? Check out Infaco pruners. Aphids like brassicas in all forms, and we spend quite a bit of time controlling them as best as possible. — if you’re a ladybug. The bug in my broccoli was an aphid. Cabbage worms can also be picked off by hand, and aphids can be sprayed off with a stream of water followed by neem oil. sugar/boron with water, each station will hold about 500 grams/ml (I use a metric scale to weigh solutions, ~250g of each.). Step 1 Mix 1 tbsp. 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